


Starting Over

by Atomic_Silver



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power (2018)
Genre: F/F
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-27
Updated: 2020-06-27
Packaged: 2021-03-04 01:55:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 10
Words: 24,235
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24945733
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Atomic_Silver/pseuds/Atomic_Silver
Summary: AU It's been five years since Adora and Catra have seen each other...A lot has happened in the time since Catra and Adora moved away... Now Adora is a single parent looking for a room mate. Catra is trying to start her life over after it all goes wrong. Entrapta accidently brings them together.Can the two start over? Can you ever really get over your past?
Relationships: Adora/Catra (She-Ra), Bow/Glimmer (She-Ra)
Comments: 28
Kudos: 185





	1. New Start

**Author's Note:**

> I don't own anything to do with She-ra.
> 
> Story doesn't have a beta so all mistakes are mine. ;P

Chapter One- Coffee Shop

The coffee shop was both familiar and alien, with it’s cracked linoleum floors and old green tables. It had probably changed ownership since the last time she had been here… it had been five years after all.

She ran her hand through her shaggy brunette hair, glad for the ac in the oppressive heat.

Her mind wandered, memories of sticky summer nights and laughter. Adora and Catra, sitting out on the roof under the stars. Hiding from the other orphans and Ms. Weaver.

Bored fingers pulled at the sticker attached to her cup. She had one headphone in, glancing at the door every few seconds even though the bell hadn’t wrung.

It had been embarrassing, crawling back to her old home town with her tail between her legs. After years of school, love, life, work… for it all to just crumble around her. Having to start again, and in this place. Of all places, why did she have to come back to this place? 

Nothing to do about it now though. She wasn’t that angry teenager anymore… it was just life. She would be ok.

The bell above the door rang. She pulled out her headphone and glanced up. Her breath caught in her throat.

She could tell the moment Adora recognized her because the blonde froze in her tracks. “Catra?” Her eyes were wide shock evident.

“Hey Adora.” The brunette gave a little nod, then pushed the hair that had fallen into her face back behind her ear. She stood up from her seat, putting her hands into the back pocket of her worn in blue jeans. Her sneakers squeaked on the floor as she came to a stop a few feet from the other woman. They were the only customers inside the store. 

Adora finally seemed to shake off the shock, “Wow… it’s been… wow, a long time? I didn’t know you were back in town.” She seemed weary, hesitant with her words like she was waiting for Catra to snap at her. She probably was.

“Yeah, it wasn’t exactly planned…” Catra trailed off and shrugged one shoulder, causing her loose t-shirt to slide partially off her shoulder. She glanced towards the door again. Still no Entrapta’s friend. The silence seemed to stretch on. “Well… it was nice seeing you Adora.”

The blonde still seemed a little out of it. Adora glanced around. “Y-yeah. Of course. Maybe I’ll see you around?”

Catra honestly didn’t know what else to say. She was amazed that the blonde was being so civil. She had made sure in high school to be as horrible to Adora as possible. She considered apologizing now, but wasn’t sure if it would even make a difference. It was a lifetime ago. Uncertain, she went to turn away.

“Wait! I mean- Do you have time to catch up? I was supposed to meet someone but I think I probably missed them… I’d love to hear what you’ve been up to. It’s been a long time. I mean, if you aren’t doing anything of course.”

“Um,” Catra glanced towards the empty door again and then at the watch on her tanned wrist. “I was actually supposed to be meeting someone.”

“Oh… Oh, yeah. Of course.” The blondes face fell and it pulled at something in Catra’s chest. Some things died hard. “Maybe some other-“

“I’m pretty sure they aren’t coming though,” she rushed out, “I mean, if you want to wait with me?” She motioned back to the table where her coffee and phone still sat.

“Oh! Great. Yeah I’ll just go order and- “Adora gestured wildly, knocking her arm into a chair on accident and looking very put out by it. She quickly moved to the counter to place her order. 

The blonde sat down gingerly on the chair, hands already fidgeting with her cup.

“So…” the brunette started, clearing her throat when the silence had stretched on for too long, “Listen… I just wanted to apologize,” a sigh, “I know it’s late, but still… I was seriously a shit to you after everything. You didn’t do anything to deserve it, and I was a horrible friend. I’m sorry.”

Adora blinked her big blue eyes slowly a few times before a smile lite up her face. “Wow. I think hell may have just frozen over.” Her grin turned sly.

Catra couldn’t contain the snort, “Nice Adora, way to ruin the moment.” Rolling her eyes, the brunette leaned back onto her chair.

Adora sobered. “Hey. Seriously though, neither of us handled anything very well. I’m sorry too. I’m glad I ran into you. Now…what are you doing back here?” She smiled again, leaning back as well.

“Things didn’t work out in LA. Needed a change of pace until I figure out my next step, I guess. What about you? Last I heard…” Catra trailed off, unsure how to finish that sentence. The last she had heard from Scorpia (before the topic had become off limits) was that Adora had dropped out of college in her first year and lost her soccer scholarship because…

Adora scoffed and grinned, “That I had a baby?” She let out a laugh at Catra’s red face. “Yeah, I figured. That was the last big news about me. I ended up dropping out of college. I couldn’t stay because of the pregnancy. I ended up moving back here and living with Mara. I took some night classes and I work Admin at the school for now. It’s fine… it’s not what how I saw my life going, but I wouldn’t trade Avery for anything.”

“Cool… cool. Yeah I heard about the baby.” She wouldn’t mention how she had reacted to that particular news. Bitter, angry. That Adora… but that was all in the past. Catra had ruined the friendship that they had had for so long. Catra shook off the unwelcome memories. She wasn’t that person anymore and she had gotten over Adora years ago. “Yeah… I ended up going to school, I’m a Music Major. I was working at a store in LA but it didn’t work out there. Here I am.” She gestured grandly with both arms. She glanced down at her watch again and then back to the still empty door. Still no Entrapta’s friend. 

Will this sucked.

Adora glanced around as well, sighing dejectedly. “Sorry, I really am interested. It’s just I was supposed to meet someone here but Avery’s sitter showed up late.”

“Hot date?” Catra teased, trying her best for a confident nonchalance that she definitely did not feel.

Adora laughed, letting out a snort, “Ha. No. Actually a potential roommate. My last one left with short notice. It’s kinda put me in a bind.” She glanced at her phone distractedly.

Catra sat up straighter in her chair. “Oh? How did you meet them?”

“I haven’t, actually. My friend Entrapta-“

Catra facepalmed and let out a loud groan.

“What?”

“Adora… you’re meeting me. I’m Entrapta’s friend.” Catra grabbed her phone and started to scroll through her messages. She aggressively punched in some angry emojis and sent them off to her friend. “I didn’t even know Entrapta knew you…”

Adora stared at her blankly as the words seemed to sink in. Then a squeak “You’re Entrapta’s friend? How?”

“Scorpia introduced us senior year since we were both going to the same college. We were room mates for a while… how do you know her?”

“Well… maybe friend was kinda a strong word…more like acquaintances? We had some classes at Bright Moon together before she transferred to Horde… I thought she said her friend was a DJ?”

“Oh. Yeah… I mean I DJ on weekends and stuff. I actually got a job down at Rune. I did that even when I was in school.” Catra was definitely going to have a nice long talk with Entrapta… seriously? How had this happened?

Adora visibly deflated and ran a hand over her face. “Well… damn. I was really hoping…” She sighed, “Do you know how hard it is to find someone reliable, not a creep, and willing to live in a house with a three-year-old?” she ticked them off one long finger at a time.

Catra drummed her black painted fingernails on the top of the table. Her brow was creased in thought. Picking her cup up she downed the dregs of her now cold liquid. “Ok.”

Adora looked up from where she had thumped her head down onto the counter. “Ok?”

“I mean… this could still work out, right? You need a roommate who isn’t a serial killer. I need somewhere to sleep that isn’t the couch at Entrapta and Scorpia’s place…” She let the sentence hang, “I mean… no pressure. It’s totally fine if you think it’s a ter-“

“Ok.”

“Ok?”

“Yeah.” The blonde was squinting at her in thought, but seemed determined. “Ok.”

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  
Summer Ages 15 and 14  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Adora lounged on a turned over crate in the back of the alley. She pulled at the collar of her sticky shirt in the muggy, hot evening air. The only sound she could hear was the sporadic sound of the spray can firing off, and the clack clack clack of the ball as Catra shook a can.

“You know Shadow Weaver is going to have you scrubbing toilets for the rest of the year if you get caught again.” The blonde said slowly, leaning her back on the somewhat cooler bricks behind her.

“Yeah yeah…” Catra grumbled, eyeing her street mural appraisingly. It was a huge piece with a tiger leaping out of the building from a night sky. “And you’ll lose your spot as favorite if she ever hears you call her that.”

Adora shrugged, then realizing the other girl couldn’t see her, scoffed. She eyed her rebellious best friend. Catra’s hair was a messy ponytail exposing her shoulder blades and neck. They both had on a pair of cut off shorts and a tank tops thrown over swimsuits. They had gone to the pool after practice today, and hadn’t made it back to the orphanage yet to change.

The blonde could see the sweat causing the shirt on her friend to cling to her lanky frame. She only realized she was staring as Catra turned around abruptly, putting her chest directly in her eyeline. Shit .Adora jerked her eyes up to Catra’s.

“Toss me the black, will you? This one’s empty.”

Adora cleared her throat self consciously and ran her hand over the back of her sweaty neck, then reached down to the bag at her side. She tossed the can over and averted her eyes to the darkening sky overhead.

The tranquility of the evening was shattered by the shout from the end of the alley. “Hey! You kids stay right there! Ya’ll in trouble now you little punks.”

“Shit!” cursed the blonde, jumping up and running to the back of the alley, bag slung over her shoulder. 

Catra waited next to the fence on the side of one of the buildings. “Go!” she yelled, waiting for Adora to get up the fence before climbing it and jumping over it herself.

They scrambled out of the other alleyway in time to see a cop car coming down the street, lights illuminating the buildings around it.

“Fuck!” Catra curses, but she’s laughing “Split up. See you at home.” Catra pushes Adora towards another gap in between buildings.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  
CATRA- MOVING IN- SATURADAY WEEK 1 DAY 1  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Catra moved into the converted garage three days later on a Saturday. She had very little contact with Adora after exchanging telephone numbers… but the blonde hadn’t been far from her mind the entire time. God… what had she gotten herself into?

When she pulled up, she recognized the address as the same house that Adora had been adopted into during their sophomore year. The place was relatively small, so Catra would be moving into garage they had converted when Adora moved back into Mara’s. Adora would be in the master and Avery in the Csmall second bedroom. There was only one bathroom, but they had been used to sharing with a lot more people when they were still in the orphanage so hopefully that wouldn’t be an issue. The kitchen, living room, laundry, and yard would be shared. It was a pretty nice setup, even if Catra was nervous about being around a three-year-old that she couldn’t just run away from. Also, the whole living with Adora again thing… yay for progression and adulthood.

It only took her a couple trips to move everything out of her friend’s place and into her new one. She had had to rent a small trailer when she moved out here for the few things she had brought. It was mostly her DJ equipment, her gaming stuff, and a few boxes of clothes. Scorpia had loaned her a cot until she had a chance to go purchase a bed.

She looked around at the mostly baren room. The closet was the only thing that looked normal, she didn’t even have a dresser yet. She hadn’t taken anything that Ashley and she had owned jointly when she moved out.

Catra was hot and sweaty standing in front of the window AC unit in her room. Looking around again she clenched her fists, trying to fight back the tears that were suddenly threatening to overwhelm her. She was twenty-three, she was supposed to be in LA with the woman she loved, getting married and starting her forever… not here starting over under the same roof as her past.

There was a soft knock on the doorframe. “Knock knock! Hey, just checking to make sure you’re doing alright settling in…” Adora paused as the brunette sniffed and turned away. Catra ran an arm across her face to catch any stray tears.

Fuck

“Yeah-yeah. I’m good. Thanks.”

Adora stood in the doorway in indecision. “Ok, well I’m almost done with dinner if you’re interested. It’s chicken…” she cleared her throat awkwardly, rapping her knuckles lightly on the doorframe. She had always been a nervous fidgeter as a kid too.

“Yeah, thanks. I’ll be in in just a minute.”

There was a heavy pause as Catra kept her face turned away from Adora and directly in the stream of cold air. 

Adora shuffled in the doorway for another moment. “Right. Ok. I’ll just see you inside then…” and hurried away.

Catra turned around and slid down the wall, her head in her hands and gulping for air. “Shit.” She had forgotten she left the door open. She leaned back after she had her breathing back under control. “This isn’t awkward at all.”

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  
ADORA- DAY ONE  
xxxxxxxxxxxx

Adora stood in the kitchen uncertainly. She fiddled with the hem of her loose tank top. Catra had definitely been crying… but it wasn’t her place to pry, right? It was just so hard to fight the feeling that she should be there for comfort. Maybe it was just her caring nature, or being a mother, or maybe just that is was Catra…Catra the girl she had grown up with. Her best friend for so long… but that was years ago now. The girl she remembered from the last years of high school had been so angry… so not the person she had come to care for… but this woman in her house…

Either way, she knew the Catra from before she had moved away, would have never been caught crying. It was weak… but Catra hadn’t even lashed out when she’d been caught. The blonde wondered what must have happened in the years they had been apart to bring the brunette here like this. Catra had her clothes, her electronics, and a cot… what had happened in LA? A bad breakup with a boyfriend maybe?

She was brought out of her musings by a throat clearing behind her.

“Hey,” Catra shuffled awkwardly from foot to foot. She had changed out of her sweaty clothes into some shorts and an old band t-shirt. Her feet were bare, and it struck Adora how much it reminded her of being fifteen again. “You need any help?”

“No no, I’ve got it. If you want to just grab yourself a drink you can sit down. Cups are above the sink; I just need to wrangle Avery away from her paints.”

The other girl nodded, heading over to the sink and got on her tip toes to reach a mug on the shelf above the glasses. Adora was temporarily distracted by the flex of her calve muscles.

“You mind if I drink the rest of this coffee?”

“No, but it’s cold already.”

Catra just shrugged unconcerned and dumped the rest of the carafe into her cup, not even bothering to warm it up she took it to the table. She grimaced at the bitter taste.

“There’s milk in the fridge… and sugar over on the counter.” The blonde pointed after putting the rest of the dinner dishes on the table. She grabbed a plate and started to plate and cut food into smaller pieces for Avery.

Catra glanced back towards the fridge, wrinkled her nose, “It’s too late. I’ve come too far.”

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  
CATRA DAY ONE CONT’D  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  
Dinner was mostly quiet. Avery was shy around the newcomer and kept glancing at her every few minutes.

“Hayden doesn’t live here anymore.” The little blonde said solemnly looking over to the brunette. 

Catra started at the sudden outburst, dropping her fork that had been on her way to her mouth back onto the plate with a clink. “Shit… crap… I mean- um-“

Adora laughed at Catra’s panicked expression before turning back to Avery who was looking at Catra with her nose scrunched up.

“No baby, Hayden had to move to a new home. Catra is going to live with us now.”

“Catra is going to live in Hayden’s room?”

“Yes baby, Catra lives in the other room now. Now it’s going to be Catra’s room.”

Catra rubbed the back of her neck, “Is that ok with you Avery? Can I live here with you and your Mom for a little while?”

Avery nodded. “Yes. You can live here.” Then, “Mama I watch Elsa now?”

Adora rolled her eyes, “After you finish eating you can watch until it’s time to get ready for bed.”

Catra tried to hold in the laugh at seeing Avery’s pout. The little girl looked so much like Adora with her blonde hair and big blue eyes. The brunette had never known Adora at 4, but she was willing to bet that she had looked just like this.

“I hope you like Frozen, it’s all she’s wanted to watch for weeks.”

Avery looked back over at Catra, “Do you like Elsa and Anna too?”

Catra relaxed back into her chair, the tension of the day melting away. “I love Frozen. Do you like the first Elsa movie or the second Elsa movie better?”

“Another Elsa movie?!” came the excited screech.

Catra jumped and swiveled her head to look at a glaring Adora. “Whoops?” she said meekly. “If it helps I have it on my amazon account? Please don’t kill me!”

Later, Avery screamed ‘Show yourself’ as Adora tried to get her ready for bed. The little girl excitedly explained how ‘Elsa froze and then the ice broke and then the horse and the water and whoosh and she saved the town’ for the third time to an amused Catra.

The brunette guessed she would count the first day as a win.


	2. Growing Pains

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Life is an adjustment.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Still don't own She-ra or have a beta :)

Chapter Two- Rocky Start  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  
CATRA/ADORA WEEK 1-WEEK2  
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The next two weeks were full of growing pains… but maybe not as many as either had expected. 

Catra worked Friday through Sunday at club Rune. The blonde wasn’t sure exactly what to do with Catra since she was home a good portion of the time… did she make it a point to try to involve her in the day to day, or leave her to have her space? 

In the end, Catra seemed to appreciate being included. Adora learned the first time she had knocked to see if Catra wanted breakfast on a Sunday morning… the answer was no… emphasized with a pillow being thrown at her head for the effort. Now if she wanted to see if Catra wanted breakfast… she sent Avery, who Catra couldn’t seem to get upset with or say no to. It was adorable.

It was mostly fine, a few arguments over the bathroom…

“Adora! Seriously? ALL the hot water? And don’t even try to blame this on poor Avery!”

And…

“Can you SERIOUSLY not get your hair out of the shower when you’re done Catra? Are you actually part cat with all this shedding?”

“How do you know it wasn’t your hair, hm princess?”

“Catra! I’m blonde!”

“Excuses.”

Usually any spats they had were when one of them was sleep deprived... Catra from work or Adora from working on her school homework. The biggest fight they had had so far happened three weeks into their living arrangement.

Adora was tired and grumpy and had been up most of the night putting the finishing touches on her final paper for an online class. It was seven am and Avery would be up soon, so Adora resigned herself to making coffee instead of sleeping. She had just poured herself a cup when Catra came in the front door in her clothes from the night before.

“Walk of shame?” She grumbled snidely.

Catra paused for a moment, then closed the door and stretched, scratching at the back of her head and further mussing her dark locks. She yawned unconcerned. “Princess, you have to be ashamed for that.” She gave the blonde a smile showing off her sharp teeth.

Adora huffed and sat the coffee cup down too hard. She got up from the table and stepped closer to where Catra was now standing in between the living room and the kitchen. “Nice. Well you do whatever you want-“

“Thanks. I will. You know… considering that I’m a grown adult.” Catra’s eyes flashed, her posture becoming tense.

“I’m serious Catra! I didn’t think it was going to be an issue, but just to be clear I’m not going to be comfortable if you bring random guys here, so just please have your escapades out of-“ Adora stopped mid-sentence because the brunette had gone from angry to blinking at her owlishly

Catra suddenly snorted and doubled over in laughter, “Oh. My. God. You can’t- you can’t be serious!”

Adora put both hands on her hips, “I’m completely serious! Why are you laughing?”

“Oh my god…” Catra couldn’t seem to suck in enough air to get her words out, “you think-“ still trying to catch her breath she wiped tears from her eyes.

Adora scowled at her. “What the hell is so funny?”

“Adora… How do you not know I’m gay as fuck?” She had mostly regained her composer now, and was looking at Adora like she had three heads. 

Adora’s brain had temporarily short circuited. Gay? Catra was a lesbian?

“Oh my god Adora, how do you not know this? How is that even possible? Did you completely miss me being a teenager? Highschool? Besides, did you ever see me with a boy? Like ever?”

“There was that Kyle kid you crashed my junior prom with!” Adora huffed defensively.

Catra sobered. “Adora… one, Kyle was there as Rogelio’s date and two… look I’m really sorry about that actually… the crashing your prom thing. Angsty mess of a repressed teenage lesbian… but that doesn’t excuse anything,” she pauses and slumps her shoulders. “You wanna sit down maybe?” She gestures lamely at the kitchen table and waits for an acknowledgement before going to pour herself a cup of coffee and then sitting heavily on a chair.

Adora is still a little dumbstruck. Catra… Catra was a lesbian… had always been a lesbian. Adora’s first love had been into girls the whole time…

“I was such an angry kid. I blamed you for a lot of things after you left… but really, I was such a shit because I missed you. I felt like you had gone off and found new friends and replaced me… after all the years we had been together…”

Adora reared up to argue, but Catra held out her hand for her to just wait.

“I mean I know now that it wasn’t like that. You were doing what you needed to for things to be better for you, and I should have been happy for you instead of bitter. I know you wouldn’t have abandoned me, I’m the one who ruined our friendship over jealousy. I was a terrible friend, and I’m sorry for that.”

“I never meant to leave you behind Catra. You were everything to me. I wish I could have taken you with me… I’m glad you aren’t angry at me anymore… Surprised, but happy.”

Catra scoffed, “Years of therapy. Trust me, not fun.”

Adora was still shocked by this new, more open girl that sat in front of her. This person who she had once known better than she thought she knew herself… had grown into someone who was both so achingly familiar and alien enough to throw her off kilter. The Catra she had grown up with would never have mentioned therapy so casually. 

“Catra… why did you move back here? Really? What happened?”

Catra’s sighed and ran her hand through her dark locks.

Adora noticed that her hand shook as she brought it back down.

“I got engaged and it all fell apart.”

That hadn’t been what Adora was expecting at all, and her face reflected it.

Catra took a deep breath, hands fidgeting on the table. “I guess I have to start in my sophomore year of college. I did fine in classes, but I had been DJing in my spare time and I was pretty bad about going out to parties and being a typical sell destructive college kid, drank too much, did some other things I shouldn’t have. At one of the parties I met a girl who threw me for a loop. I wasn’t sure what it was at the time, but there was something about her. Ashley was the best thing that could have happened to me. 

I ended up getting in a pretty bad fight after one gig. The college threatened me with probation, and made me go to anger management if I wanted to continue with my classes. Ashley had been trying to get me to go to therapy too for a while, and I finally caved and started going to both. By the time senior year rolled around and Entrapta was moving back here, Ashley and I ended up moving in together for our last year. After we graduated, I went to work at her friend’s Music store…doing lessons, that sort of thing. Everything was good. We were good. I asked her to marry me… she said yes and then a week later told me she couldn’t do it. She said she knew it would be a mistake for both of us and broke up with me. I couldn’t stay there. I quit the shop, packed up my stuff and here I am.” By the end Catra was staring up at the ceiling, trying to keep her eyes from overflowing. She took a moment to compose herself and then looked back down at Adora.

Adora’s brow was scrunched in thought for a moment as she looked at the girl with watery eyes acroos from her. “I’m sorry Catra.”

“Meh, don’t be. It’s no one’s fault. I’m not mad at her. She’s honestly a really good person. She had to do what was best for her. Some things just don’t work out, I guess.”

Adora made a split-second decision and reached over to grab Catra’s hands. She squeezed gently, hoping that Catra would understand what she wasn’t saying. ‘I’m here.’… ‘ thank you for telling me’. 

The brunette squeezed back, one corner of her mouth curving up slightly. “Well, now that that is over with… I’m starving.” She wiggled her eyebrows as she extracted her hands from the other’s grasp. “And I need a shower.” She got up to head to her door but paused and turned back, “And Adora… I would never bring anyone back here. This is your home and I would never put you and Avery at risk like that.”

The blonde smiled reassuringly. “I know, I’m sorry about before…You want breakfast? I’ll cook while you get ready… peace offering for being an ass?”

Catra chuckled and smiled back. “Deal.”

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx  
CATRA- WEEK THREE  
Xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Catra was finally finished with the set she had been fiddling with for the last hour. She still wasn’t 100 percent happy with it, but she needed a break. She had been hiding out in her room this morning, it was Saturday so Adora and Avery were both home and the brunette was trying to give them a little bit of space…. Not that Adora ever acted like she needed to do that, but Catra figured they probably could use a little one on one time.

She yawned, leaning back and stretching to loosen the muscles from being hunched over her laptop.

Finally.

She slipped her headphones off her head, only then noticing the sounds coming from inside the house.

The brunette went and opened the door, popping her head around the corner. “Really? Backstreet Boys?”

“Don’t hate.” The blonde sing-songed as she continued to wipe down the counters. Avery bounced around on the couch.

Ah… so Saturday mornings were cleaning day… Catra would definitely make sure to make herself scarce on those mornings then.

“Your taste in music is terrible.”

“I seem to remember you not minding so much back in the day.” Adora teased.

“Obviously there was no accounting for taste back then. I’m educated now. Expanded my horizons and all that garbage.”

Adora laughed, paused in her cleaning, and started to jump around. Her execution of the bands dance moves was borderline terrible. Catra’s heart warmed anyway.

“Oh my gosh. No! Stop that right now!”

“Bye bye!”

“Ugh. I’ve made a terrible mistake. I’m moving.”

“Shud up, you love it.”

Catra couldn’t help the curl of her lips as Avery bounced over to her. Soon she had her hands wrapped in two small ones and was giving into the shouted. “Dance! Dance!” from an excited toddler.

She looked over to where Adora was watching them. Catra was almost proud of the grin she saw stretched across the other girl’s face.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx  
ADORA- WEEK THREE CONT’D- WEDNESDAY  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Adora was stressed. She had a deadline on a budget report that had been given to her just that morning, and to be honest she was freaking out a little bit. She tapped her fingers impatiently on the top of her desk.

Catra picked up on the third ring, “Adora?”

“Hey, Catra, listen…I’m going to have to work late tonight. Is there any way that you could pick up Avery? Usually I’d ask Angela since she has the extra car seat… but she’s here with me. I totally understand if you can’t, I can try to-“

“Adora. Stop. It’s fine. I can pick up the kid, it’s not a problem.”

Adora let out a relieved sigh. “Thank you, thank you, thank you. If you could maybe swing by and swap cars with me after you get off so you have the seat?”

“Ok. Will do. I gotta run, I have a lesson in like 5 minutes. See you after work.”

Catra showed up at the school at 4:15 in her normal Band shirt, jeans, and sneakers.

“Thank you again.” The blonde says for the tenth time. She hands over her keys.

“Seriously Adora, it’s not a problem. I’ll just pick her up and then get McDonalds for dinner, as long as that’s cool with you?”

“Yes. Totally fine. Just wait a second and I’ll grab my wallet-“ she goes to head back inside the building but is stopped by a hand to her arm.

Catra smirks and scoffs. “I can handle getting McDonalds Adora.”

Adora eyes Catra, but she knows the look on the brunette’s face means that she’s already made up her mind. She sighs in resignation. “Fine… I already called the daycare and let them know to add you to the list. They’ll probably ask you to show your ID.”

“Cool. We’ll see you at home. Take your time, I’ll get her ready for bed if you aren’t back before then.”

The blonde gave in to her impulse and pulled the smaller girl into a tight hug. “You’re a lifesaver.” She loudly smacks a kiss to the side of the other girl’s head. 

Catra’s face is pink when they pull apart. She shrugs her shoulders, “It’s not a big deal you big dork. Don’t make it weird. I pay like nothing in rent. Don’t make it a whole thing.”

Adora just grins at Catra’s obvious attempt at deflection.

When the blonde finally gets home it’s to the smell of french-fries and a little girl all decked out in her pajamas and bouncing on the couch.

“Mama! I had milkshake!”

“That’s great baby. Was it so good?”

“YES!”

Catra grimaces. “Yeah… sorry about that. I actually got it for me but…” she shrugs, “I obviously don’t know how to say no to that pout. You guys should patent that as a lethal weapon.”

Adora laughs and scoops the wiggling toddler up in her arms. She’ll have time to overanalyze that comment later.

“Did you have soooo much fun with Catra?”

“YES!”

“Good, I had so much fun with you too.” Catra says with a smile. She’s leaning against the counter watching the blondes.

“Now…it’s time to brush teeth and then you can watch TV until bedtime, ok?”

“Ok Mama.”

After Avery is settled back onto the couch, Adora goes to find Catra and give her keys back.

“Oh, thanks. Yours are actually on the counter.” Catra looks thoughtful, but Adora doesn’t want to press. 

“Thanks again.”

“No problem.”

Adora comes home the next day to a carseat box in her driveway. Catra is cursing from the backseat of her SUV, both doors open as she tries to install said seat. “How the fuck do they expect you to be able to-“

The blonde picks up Avery and heads over.

“GOD DA-“

“HEY CATRA! What are you doing?” Avery shouts.

“AH!” Catra startles, whacking her head on the roof of the car.

“Yeah Catra…” Adora looks at the brand new car seat that in now in Catra’s backseat. “Whatcha doing?”

The brunette rubs the back of her head with her hand. Adora thinks she looks adorable. She’s slightly flushed from fighting with the seat and her hair is pulled back into a messy ponytail. The brunette looks like she’s trying to think of something to say.

“Is that for me?” Avery squeals, wriggling in Adora’s arms until she sets her down in the back seat. She immediately goes to clamber into the new seat.

Catra smiles, then backs out of the car and stands next to the open door. “It is!” then she turns to Avery looking sheepish, “I figured this would be easier if you needed me to pick her up or whatever…” She eyes Adora as the blondefeels the goofy grin overtaking her face. “Don’t make it weird.”

Adora notices again that deflection is still something that Catra seems to fall back on when she does something for anymore. The blonde’s smile softens, “I’m not. But you really didn’t need to do this. Let me at least pay you back for the seat.”

“Nope. And don’t even try arguing. You know I always win anyway. Let’s just call it your all year present and move on.”

Adora can’t help but let out the laughter bubbling up in her chest. She comes around the car to where Catra is standing. “My all year present? You are such a dork.” She shoves Catra’s shoulder playfully. The blonde glances back at her daughter, still completely content to hang out in her new car seat. “And a huge softy.” She says, and wraps her arms around Catra’s shoulders in a hug.

“Hey! Don’t ruin my rep!”

“Yeah, yeah. Now let me show you how to finish getting this thing in. They are such a pain.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading :)


	3. Best Friend Squad

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Best Friend Squad Goals

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> No Beta.  
> No own She-ra.  
> Coffee good. :)

Chapter Three- Best Friend Squad

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  
ADORA- WEEK 4- SATURDAY  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It had taken a month, but Catra was finally, truly settled into living with the two blondes. She was comfortable enough to finally have coffee creamer in the fridge. She had a favorite coffee mug, and much to Adora’s chagrin… was perfectly comfortable leaving it dirty in the sink. It was still an improvement over Catra religiously making it look like she didn’t live in the house at all.

She was also comfortable with Avery to the point that Catra had told her she was fine to go for her normal run early in the morning. Catra just had Adora open and leave the bedroom doors ajar, and Avery knew to just go wake Catra up if she woke up before Adora got back.

Now the only problem was that Catra had been hiding in her room since Bow and Glimmer had returned for the rest of the summer. They had stayed later on campus for a few volunteer projects, but would be home now for the next couple months until fall semester started. It had been three days now.

Glimmer and Catra got on like a cat and water… and Catra wasn’t the water.

“Hey Horde Scum,” Glimmer greeted overly cheerful the first day that Catra had come back from the work. The brunette had been hired for part time in the afternoons at a music store in town.

Catra had startled in the doorway, looking around at Bow and Glimmer and Adora all sprawled around the L shaped couch in the living room. “You didn’t mention that there was going to be a princess meeting… I would have made myself scarce.” 

Bow laughed, leaning further into Adora’s shoulder. “Best friend squad, assemble!”

Catra scoffed and went to change and hide in her room.

Gimmer giggled. “I remember her being snarkier. Looks like the kitty doesn’t have claws anymore.”

“Oh god don’t-“

“I heard that Sparkles! Very clever. Don’t call me that.” Catra stuck her head back around the doorway to her room and glared.

Glimmer just smiled delightedly.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  
ADORA- WEEK FOUR- FRIDAY  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

“Come on Adora. It’ll be fun. I wanna see the Grumpy Cat at work. You have to be curious too.” Glimmer whined, laid across Adora’s bed, head over the side and looking at Adora upside down.

It was Friday afternoon after work and Bow was in the living room playing a game with Avery. Glimmer was trying her best to stave off boredom as Adora changed into normal clothes.

“Quit it with the Cat nicknames.” Adora chastised, but she was smiling. 

Glimmer just laughed, “But her calling Bow Arrow, and me Sparkles is ok?”

Adora shrugged distractedly, picking out a shirt, “It’s Catra.” She said, as if this fact were not obvious. She shrugged off her work shirt and pulled the t-shirt over her head. She grinned mischievously. “Trust me, this is nothing.”

“Yeah, cuz being an ass it part of her charm.” Glimmer rolled over and propped her chin on her hands. “Seriously though, she’s a lot different then I remember.” 

Adora shrugged. “Yeah. But also, not? I mean, she’s a lot more like she was before the whole-“she waved around vaguely with one arm while hoping on one foot and trying to pull off her work pant leg with the other, “Adoption/ high school thing.”

“Soooooo are we going? Mom will totally agree to keep Avery over there tonight. She misses her anyway. Come on, let’s have a night out! Bonus, get to see Kitten in her musical element.”

Adora mock glared at her, “She’s going to kill you, and I won’t save you.” She paused thoughtfully. “Ok, but you are asking your mom. This was your idea.”

“Yes!” Glimmer fist pumped in victory, “Another bonus! You have the house all to yourself if you wanna end that forever dry spell you’ve got going on-“

Adora whipped a pillow at the laughing pink haired girl. “Shut. Up. I told Catra she couldn’t bring any random girls home, I’m not about to do it myself.”

That got Glimmer’s attention, “Girls?”

“Wait wait wait! Catra is a lesbian?” Bow squealed from the doorway, “I knew it! Oh… by the way your kid is a shark. Totally crushed me in Candy Land. She’s watching Frozen 2 now.” He walked over and plopped dramatically onto the bed, squishing an indignant Glimmer.

“What do you mean you thought so before? Why didn’t you say anything to me?”

Bow shrugged and jumped up from the bed. “Because she was terrible back then and you were being a useless lesbian anyway. Now what are you going to wear when we go out? This is nice!” He said pulling out a cute black dress. He started rummaging around in the bottom of the closet for shoes.

“Bi-sexual.” Adora corrected, hands on hips.

“More like Catra-sexual… but whatever. I’m going to call Mom. Those are cute sandals by the way. Good job Bow.”

Adora gaped at Glimmer as she left the room. “I-what?!”

Bow shrugged. “We aren’t saying that you still have feelings for her or anything… just that she was the only person you were ever really interested in? It’s fine Adora, this is a safe space. We’re your friends! We’re the best friend squad, we’re here for you!”

Adora groaned and put her face in her hands. “Why do I talk to any of you? I’m texting Entrapta to see if she wants to come too.”

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Catra hadn’t come back by the time that Adora left to drop off Avery and meet Glimmer and Bow for dinner. She considered texting to let her know they would be showing up, but figured it would be fine to just surprise her.

The club was dark and loud. It was still early enough that there weren’t too many people there. The lights flashed around the room, mostly focused on the dancefloor where a few bodies were already out enjoying themselves. Above the dance floor was the empty DJ booth, it was still too early to be manned.

“I’ll grab drinks!” Bow said cheerfully, “Why don’t you guys grab a table while we can. It’s about to start getting busy.”

Adora nodded vaguely and followed along as Glimmer made a beeline for an open table. Bow joined them after a moment, pushing a fruity cocktail across the table to Adora. She sent a quick text to Entrapta to let her know where they were and then sipped at her drink. She wasn’t really a fan of alcohol in general, so anything she drank had to sugary beyond belief.

Entrapta showed a moment later, her own drink in hand and walking beside Scorpia.

“Hello friends!” Entrapta greet excitedly, “I convinced Scorpia to come with me, I hope that’s ok.”

Scorpia waved somewhat sheepishly, “Sorry- sorry! I told her she should text you first, but-“

Glimmer waved away her concern and smiled at her,” Of course it’s totally fine. Come on and sit down, I think Grumpy Cat starts in a few minutes, and then it’s dance time!”

“I love dancing!” Entrapta squealed excitedly and sucked on her straw enough to hollow out her cheeks.

“Um…” Bow eyed Entrapta skeptically then looked at Scorpia, “How long has she been drinking?”

Scorpia rubbed the back of her neck with the hand not holding her own glass. “So… funny story… we may have started a little early?”

Glimmer groaned. “Oh boy.” They laughed.

The board behind the DJ booth suddenly came to life, pulsing colors until popping ‘DJ Catastrophic’ across it. Adora swiveled to have a better view of the booth as Catra climbed up the couple steps to stand behind her gear.

Catra was in a dark red tank top, black bra straps peeking out on her shoulders. Adora was distracted by the lights shining on dark locks that had been pulled back into a messy ponytail. She had a pair of ripped back skinny jeans on and a pair of Doc Martins. It really wasn’t much different than anything she wore normally, but the headphones she placed on her head and the lights made it seem somewhat surreal. She was smiling… really smiling as she got to work. She swayed with the music.

“Catastrophic? Really?” Huffed Glimmer,” And she complains about my Cat nicknames. What a hypocrite!”

“Oh! Oh! That was totally me!” Shouted Scorpia excitedly. “She was totally going to use Catastrophe, which was so much worse!” She let out a throaty laugh, eyes sparkling.

Entrapta nodded earnestly as she loudly sipped her fourth drink through a curly straw. “Oh absolutely. I totally and whole heartedly agree… what are we talking about again?”

“Oh god, here we go,” Groaned Glimmer, but everyone is was smiling and Glimmer leaned into Bows arm. They sat that way for a few little while, enjoying their drinks and the company. 

Adora watched Catra as she danced in the booth. She sipped on her second drink, letting the conversation flow around her.

Entrapta let out an excited squeal as the song changed, “Oh goody! She’s playing my song! Dancing! Social interaction! Now!”

Scorpia laughed nervously but let herself get yanked towards the dance floor.

The other three looked at each other, shrugged and finished their drinks before following.

The music was good, and everyone seemed to agree, so it wasn’t just Adora’s bias. She had drunk just enough to feel a pleasant tingle, and every time she thought about Catra and their mended relationship she couldn’t help grinning.

“Someone is having a good time!” Glimmer yelled near her ear.

“I really am! Catra’s great!”

Glimmer dissolved into giggles, “You sap, I was talking about Catra.”

Adora, confused, turned towards the DJ booth. Two girls had climbed the steps and were hovering around the brunette. As Adora watched, a pretty blonde leaned in and put her hand on Catra’s arm. Another girl with blue hair was standing close to Catra’s other side holding out a drink. After the next song transition Catra pulled her headphones down to her neck and took the drink from the blue haired girl with a smirk. She spoke to the two for a few moments, the blonde leaning even more into Catra’s space before they finally departed and Catra pulled her headphones back up. 

Adora was suddenly significantly less tingly. “I need a drink.” She yelled towards Glimmer as she broke off and headed to the bar.

Glimmer just rolled her eyes fondly and turned to dance with Bow, only to find him dancing with another girl. Huffing she turned to rejoin Scorpia and Entrapta… who was doing the robot enthusiastically. 

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

One shot later and with a new drink in hand Adora made her way back to the dance floor. She swayed to the music off to the side, trying to get back the good feeling from earlier. Her eyes kept drifting to the booth without her permission. Catra was alone now, sipping her drink.

Glimmer stomped up next to her, grabbing her drink and downing the rest of it in three swallows.

“Hey!” Adora pouted

“Ugh, Bow is such a-a boy!”

“You ok?”

The pink haired girl sighed, “Yeah, Bow ran into Perfuma and they’re dancing.”

“Oh…”

“Yeah. I mean I know we aren’t really together together, but still. Anyways… enough about that, one more drink and then you, my friend, are going to dance with me. Screw Bow, I’m going to have a good time!”

They headed back to the bar.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

After the next round of alcohol had been consumed Adora’s mood had improved. She was sweety and laughing as she danced with Bow. They had gravitated further towards the front where the DJ booth was. The next time Adora looked up it was into the eyes of a surprised Catra. The slow, pleased smile that crossed the brunette’s face made warmth creep up through Adora’s chest. Adora smiled back and gave a little wave. She watched as Catra fiddled with her board for a minute and then hoped down from the booth.

The girls from earlier were immediately by her side, and Adora huffed as she went to turn back away from Catra and her groupies. Her arm was grabbed gently, pulling her back.

Catra smiled up at her, hand still resting on the blonde’s arm. “Hey! I didn’t know you guys were coming out too! Have you been here long?”

Adora relaxed into the touch, the corners of her mouth lifting as she noticed the other girls had sulked back to their table. Without really thinking she flung her arms around the other girl’s neck, “Catra!”

Catra chuckled against Adora’s neck causing the blonde to shiver.

“Having a good time, huh?” Catra was smiling when she finally pulled away. “What are you guys doing here? What’s the occasion?”

Adora grinned wider, her eyes just a little droopy as she poked Catra on the shoulder playfully. “I dunno. Heard they had a pretty good DJ here, figured we’d come check it out.”

The brunette let out a surprised laugh as Glimmer got closer and nudged her in the shoulder playfully. 

“Yup. Adora didn’t believe all the hype.”

The brunette shoved Glimmer in the arm lightly and stuck her tongue out at her, “ Oh really, and what did you think Adora? Cuz I heard they were pretty talented,” One corner of her mouth lifted into a smirk, “And of course good looking.”

Glimmer rolled her eyes as Adora snort laughed. “Oh god, you are literally the worst. Bow, Scorpia and Entrapta are around somewhere. I think they may still be trying to get Entrapta away from the sound equipment.”

“Aw, Scorpia is here too? You guys really do like me.” Catra clutched dramatically as her chest, “Oh no! My little black heart, I can’t take it!”

“You’re insufferable, you know that?” Glimmer huffed, but she was grinning.

“Aw, you aren’t so bad yourself Sparkles.” Catra peered up at Adora. “You ok there princess? You’re awfully quiet.”

Adora just grinned at her, eyes wide and happy, “Aw… look at us, all getting along! I love you guys!” Adora swayed a bit, floaty and warm.

“And… it starts,” Groaned Glimmer. 

Catra laughed, “Oooookay. Well I have to pee and then get back to work. I’ll catch you guys later if you’re still around when I’m done. It should be another hour. If you guys are already gone, thanks for coming.” She glanced at Glimmer. “Seriously.”

The pink haired girl looked a little surprised, but nodded and smiled back.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

“Hey guys, I’m going to get Entrapta home.”

“Weeeeeeee. Wow your arms are really strong…” Entrapta yelled excitedly, trying to hang off of Scorpia’s taller frame.

Adora snorted. “Bye guys! Text me when you get home ok?”

“Will do!” Scorpia yelled over her shoulder as she took off after Entrapta who had decided that getting outside was now a race.

“Alright!” Bow said excitedly, clapping his hands together. “My duties are complete, time to let loose. Who’s getting the next round?” He quickly put his finger to his nose as Glimmer let out another sigh.

Glimmer looked over to a swaying Adora and a hopeful Bow and dropped her head in resignation. “Why me?” She grumbled as she shuffled off to the bar.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  
GLIMMER  
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It was finally the end of Catra’s set and Glimmer was at the end of her patience. Adora was being classic drunk Adora… but it had been so long since that had been an issue… that honestly Glimmer had forgot what a goof she was when this happened.

Bow was too busy laughing to be of much help, now at his giggly stage of drunk. They did not pay her enough to deal with this… she was far too sober to deal with this.

Luckily Catra suddenly materialized beside them.

“Oh thank god. Please tell me you’re sober enough to help me with these two.”

“CATRA!” Adora squealed in excitement, swaying dangerously as she stumbled over to a startled brunette. “You’re here!”

“Hey Princess.” Catra laughed, helping to hold Adora up with her shoulder. “And yes Sparkles, have no fear, I am at least mostly sober.” She chuckled with a toothy grin.

“Wonderful. Then lets go. This one wanted to stay until you were finished.” The shortest girl grumbled, pointing accusingly at the blonde who was just grinning at Catra, half slouched over.

“Catra… I’m so glad we’re friends again.” 

Catra just had time to smile softly at the blonde before the taller girl roughly grabbed both of Catra’s checks and squished them together. “You’re face is sooooo squishy. I like your face. Aw… all your cute little freckles!”

“You’re…. adorable, and an idiot.” Catra snickered… looking between the other three people in anticipation. 

“NOOOOO!” Glimmer wailed.

Adora scrunched her nose… then burst into loud laughter. “Adora-ble…. So funny!”

“Seriously … how long have you been waiting to say that?” Bow asked, deadpan.

“Alllllll night.” Catra winks in their direction. “I used to tease her with it all the time.” Maneuvering herself back under Adora’s shoulder, she grabbed the blonde’s arm. “Ok princess, time to get you home. I’m pretty sure Avery isn’t going to take it easy on you with your hangover tomorrow…. And don’t even think about trying to wake me up to babysit .”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


	4. Aftermath

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Same Same.

Chapter Four- Why? Just Why?

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CATRA- WEEK FOUR CONT’D *Say you wont let go*  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Adora stared up at Catra from the backseat of the Uber. Her head rested in the shorter girls lap as the brunette ran gentle fingers through the messy blonde hair.

“Hey Catra.”

Catra chuckled, scratching Adora’s scalp lightly. “Hey Adora.”

Adora’s smile turned goofy in the flickering lights of the ride. Her sweaty hair was stuck to her forehead from the hot club.

“Ugh, you’re such an idiot.”

Adora’s grin stretched even wider, “Missed you too.”

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

“Don’t drink much do you?” Catra grunted as she finally got Adora across the threshold of the door.

“Nope.” Adora gave an exaggerated pop to the p. “Hey! At least I can’t get pregnant this time!” She said letting out a slightly manic laugh.

Catra nearly dropped her as she was trying to set her gently on the couch. “Ok, eww. TMI lady.”

Adora just laughed more.

Catra walked into the kitchen, and then went back to her room to get some aspirin she kept locked up and away from Avery. When she returned back into the kitchen, Adora was no longer on the couch. Figuring she had just crawled to bed she went to the doorway. She knocked against the open doorframe and peered into the darkened room. She was still trying to make out an Adora sized lump when she heard retching from the bathroom next door.

“Wonderful…” Catra sighed, then louder, “Hey Adora! You ok in there?” She reached over to the counter and placed the water and aspirin bottle down. They apparently weren’t at that stage just yet.

“I’m- I’m fine. Seriously. I- you should go to bed I’ll be-“ She was cut off by more retching followed by a loud groan. “Ugh…”

“Adora? I’m coming in, Ok?”

“No! No. I’m fi- Fuck….” A long pause and then a resigned, “Ok.”

Catra gingerly pushed the door open, conscious of not hitting Adora with it.

The blonde was slouched against the tub next to the toilet, her hair was a mess and she looked absolutely miserable.

“I think you made have had a little bit too much.” Catra said in sympathy… after all, she was the last person who could judge someone on having too much sometimes. She eased herself into the bathroom and searched around until she found a hair tie. “Come here.” She said softly, moving over and pulling Adora’s hair back for her. She was still holding the blonde locks when Adora rolled back to the toilet and threw up again.

“God… this is the worst. Pregnancy, throwing up, rooms spinning… why do people do this?”

Catra scrunched her nose at the smell and the comment. “Ok, again, eww.” That was the second time Adora had associated alcohol and pregnancy. Catra would be more concerned about it if Adora wasn’t saying it in such a flippant manor. “I dunno Hun, you looked like you were having a good time for most of the night.”

“YOU were having a good time.” Adora grumbled into the toilet between heavy breaths.

“I mean… yeah I guess?” Catra asked, brow scrunched in confusion, “I mean I like DJing so…”

Catra grabbed a washcloth and went to wet it with the spicket of the tub. She waited until it seemed like the blonde was done throwing up and gently wiped down Adora’s damp face and neck.

“S-hanks.” The blonde mumbled, laying her head back against the side of the tub.

Catra maneuvered herself out from Adora’s side and went to grab her toothbrush. She crouched down in front of her friend. “Here. Toothbrush. Don’t try to get up. Just spit in the toilet.”

Adora nodded sluggishly and took it from her offered hand. 

Catra stood and went back to the counter and grabbed the water. She was careful not to spill as she sat back down next to the blonde. “Here, drink this.” She sat, giving little nudges for encouragement until the glass was empty.

“God, you’re like a child.” Catra chuckled, as the blonde grumbled about the water.

“You’re like a child.” Came the petulant response. The blonde stuck her tongue out.

“Wow… Ok. What are we, five? Time for bed. You ready?”

“Nooooooo… just let me die here…”

“Nope.” Catra grunted as she got herself under one of the blonde’s shoulders and slung Adora’s arm over her own. “God, how are you so heavy?” She carefully got them through both doorframes and to the edge of the bed.

“Hey! Thas rude! You’re so mean.”

“And you,” Catra grunted, leaning down and maneuvering Adora onto the mattress. “Are a pain in the ass.”

“Least it’s a cute ass.”

Catra blinked, “Yours or mine?” She was still trying to extract herself from the tangle of limbs that they had become on the full-sized bed. She wiggled trying to get the blonde to let go, but that only seemed to make the blonde hold on tighter.

“Yes.” Adora flailed as Catra finally got herself free. Reaching out her uncoordinated appendages she waved her hands in a grabby motion. “Come back. I need cuddles. You’re warm.”

“Princess, we need to get you changed into pajamas. Then I’ll get you a blanket and all tucked in, ok?”

“Nooooo. Cuddles.”

Catra rolled her eyes and looked around the room, “Now where are your sleep clothes?” She asked, slipping the sandals off Adora’s feet while she surveyed the room. She figured the closet would be a promising start, and went and grabbed a t-shirt. “Do you just want me to grab you a- Jesus Adora, what the fuck?” She choked, her face flaming as she turned back around to find Adora with her dress half off and apparently stuck.

“Help.” Came the pathetic whine.

Catra peaked through her fingers, seeing Adora had one arm and her head trapped in the offending garment. 

“Oh my god… why me?” Catra sighed, heading to the bed. Her face was still on fire and she hoped the darkness would keep Adora from noticing. When the blonde was finally freed, Carta turned to look anywhere but at the blonde clad only in her matching black underwear. She went to step away but yelped at the surprisingly strong tug on her arm. The blonde pulled her back on the bed before her brain caught up to what was happening. She found herself half laying on her mostly naked friend.

Good… if she wasn’t already gay before… she would have been now. Damnit.

“Sleepy.” The arms surrounding her tightened.

“Adora… at least put on some clothes.”

“Comfy.”

Catra sighed, kicking off her boots and settling back into Adora’s chest. She worked on calming her racing heartbeat. Her mouth still tasted like liquor and her clothes weren’t the most comfortable thing to sleep in, but she really was tired. She took a deep breath in resignation, reached down and pulled the blanket up over the two of them.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  
ADORA’S FIRST YEAR AT COLLEGE  
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Glimmer and Bow had convinced her to go to the party. It usually wasn’t her scene, but they said it was time for her to get out there.

She had drunk more than she was usually comfortable with and ended up with a smooth-talking Senior with wild hair and dark features. He was confident to the point of being cocky… and something in her had been intrigued. It wasn’t how she ever saw her first time going… it wasn’t special and it wasn’t really meaningful. 

She had spent the night imagining a different brunette, one with smaller hands and calluses on her fingertips.

When it was over, she had refused his number and left. She had cried for two days.

8 weeks later when she passed out at practice and ended up at the nurse after throwing up again… well she cried a lot longer that time.

She had found the boy from the party to let him know, but he had wanted nothing to do with the baby. That was fine with her.

She ended up moving back in with Mara at the end of that school year. A few months later she was a mom.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  
ADORA- WEEK FOUR CONT’D (4 AM)  
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Adora woke up still drunk and with her brain feeling fuzzy. There was hair in her mouth, but when she moved to brush it away, she found it wasn’t hers. There was a moment of panic as she tried to remember what had transpired… but it was difficult with the alcohol still sloshing through her system. She registered that she was wrapped around a warm body.

Fuck. Ok… ok… she was mostly naked, but at least the other person was clothed. Their hair, where Adora’s face was nuzzled into, smelled like apples. Oh… she knew that smell.

She untangled her arm and reached down to pull back up the covers.

“Nooo…” Came a sleepy whine, “Back to sleep. Too early.”

And yeah. Ok. She wasn’t sure how she had come to be in bed wrapped around Catra, but she was too tired and miserable feeling to find out. She wrapped her arm back around the other girl and cuddled closer. She let herself drift back to sleep.

The next time she woke up there was light streaming through the gaps in her curtains. The pounding in her head was super unpleasant and her mouth was so dry it felt like the Sahara. She was alone in bed. She briefly wondered if she had dreamt the entire part where Catra had been there. She rolled over towards the nightstand. There was more water and the child proof aspirin bottle on the nightstand. 

The blonde smiled. Not a dream then.

She reached a shaky hand over to grab the water. The clock numbers caught her attention and she forgot about being thirsty. 

1130? Oh no. She was supposed to pick Avery up for breakfast. How had she just slept through her alarm?!

She grimaced as she rolled out of bed, scrambling over to her closet and grabbing a t-shirt and a pair of shorts off the floor. She grabbed her phone from next to the bed and stumbled towards the living room.

She came to an abrupt halt when she rounded the corner of the little hallway.

Avery was lying on the floor starring up at Catra as the other girl played and sang an acoustic version of ‘Let it go’ on her guitar. A guitar that Adora hadn’t even known that Catra had until just this moment.

She was momentarily warped back to a much younger Catra, hiding out and teaching herself to play the beat-up old guitar from the orphanage.

“Hey sleepyhead.” Catra said, looking up as Adora stood starring. The soft sounds came to a halt as Catra sat the guitar aside.

“Mama!” Avery yelled excitedly, jumping up and running to wrap her arms around her mother’s legs. “Catra playing Elsa!”

“Hey baby. I heard. That was so cool, huh?”

Catra’s cheeks darken and she gave a self-conscious chuckle. 

Adora can’t help but star at the way it brought out the freckles on her cheeks and nose. 

The brunette raised one shoulder in a shrug as her eyes shied away from Adora’s. “Yeah, music sooths the savage beast and all that. Your phone alarm went off this morning but you were still pretty out of it. I hope it’s ok I picked her up from Angella’s. I texted Glimmer before, to make sure it was fine to show up.”

Adora just looked at her for a moment. She had one hand on the doorframe for support. “Um… yeah. Yeah, totally. Thank you. You didn’t have to-“ her words ran out, unsure how to convey the warmth that was radiating out of her chest.

Catra just waved away her rambling. “Not a problem. How you feeling?”

“You sick Mama?” Avery asked, pulling on Adora’s shirt until her face was near enough to feel her forehead.

“A little bit baby, but I’m ok.” She smiled lovingly at the little girls concerned eyes, then straightened back up to address the woman across the room. She shook her head and groaned at the nausea it created. She ran a hand through the rats nest her hair had become overnight. “Honestly? I feel like hot garbage.”

“Yeah… you kinda look it too.” Catra said, side eyeing her with a smirk and she reclined onto the couch.

“Gee thanks.” 

“I can hang out with Avery. Why don’t you go ahead and shower? You’ll feel better.”

“That sounds great. Thank you.” Adora leaned down and kissed the top of Avery’s head. “Can you hang out with Catra a little bit more while Mama showers?”

“Ok Mama. Catra! You want to paint with me?”

Adora chuckled to herself as she shuffled back into the bedroom to grab her clothes. She popped a couple aspirin and downed the glass of water on her way back out.

She locked the door and brushed her teeth before stepping into the shower.

God, she felt terrible. She let her mind wander as she went through the process of getting clean. As the soapy water ran off and down the drain, she couldn’t help but smile.

When she was finished, she flopped down on the couch and watched Catra paint stick figures with her daughter. She told herself she would just rest her head for a minute and then start lunch. The last thing she remembered was someone running a hand over her damp hair and draping a blanket over her.

The next time she woke up she felt human again and dinner was already on the table.

It was Catra gently shacking her shoulder that had woken her. “Hey. Dinner is ready if you’re hungry. You should probably eat since you slept through lunch.”

Adora blinked sleepily.

Dinner? Had she really slept all day?

“What? I’m so sorry! Why didn’t you wake me?”

“It’s fine.” Catra said standing again as Adora quickly rolled off the couch. “You needed it. You didn’t miss much anyway.”

“But Avery…”

“Was fine. I can handle one three-year-old Adora. It’s not like I haven’t before. I even got her to take a nap on time. See… I can adult.” She said with an eye roll. Adora almost didn’t hear the “under great duress.” That was grumbled afterwards.

“Hi Mama. Is your head better now?”

“Yeah Hunny, my head is all better now.” She smiled at the little girl who looked up from her tablet at the kitchen table. Adora walked up and ruffled her hair affectionately.

“Cool. Well let’s eat.” Catra clapped her hands and shoed Adora towards her chair. “Cuz then I have to get ready for work.”

Adora couldn’t help the fond smile as she looked between the two girls at her kitchen table.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx  
ADORA- Orphanage age 11  
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

They had been ten and eleven when someone had donated the beat up old guitar to the orphanage. A few of the kids banged around on it for a while until they quickly found that playing required actual effort. Soon enough it had been forgotten and shoved into the upstairs closet. Adora had quickly forgotten about it.

Adora had been looking for Catra everywhere. It was the second time already that week that Catra had missed dinner… and Catra never missed dinner, she was always hungry. They were both so active with all the sports that Ms. Weaver had them participate in, that they burned through fuel fast. Catra had brushed it off last time when she had come back to the bunk late, but Adora wasn’t going to let that happen again.

Honestly, she was a little hurt that Catra was hiding something from her. They didn’t do that… at least not to each other. They were there for each other, that was their thing.

The blonde finally found her in the backyard on the side of the old storage shed. She had been staring at a book at her side and plucking strings on that beat up old guitar. Catra had nearly jumped out of her skin when Adora slid down the wall next to her.

“Holy crap Adora, you nearly scared me to death.”

Adora didn’t even get the satisfaction of actually catching Catra off guard, she was too focused on the fact that Catra had been keeping secrets from her. “You missed dinner again… I was worried.” The blonde pulls her knees up to her chest and wraps her arms around them tightly.

There is a pregnant pause as the lanky brunette picks at the guitar stings nervously, “Sorry…”

“Is this what you’ve been doing? Where you’ve been sneaking off too?”

“I…yeah. I found this book at the library and…” She sets the guitar down and draws her own knees up to her chest. “It’s stupid.”

“Hey.” Adora says, scooching over until their sides are touching from shoulders down. She pulls back and bumps into the smaller girl. She waits for Catra to meet her eyes. “I think it’s cool.”

“Yeah?” The brunette looks tentatively hopeful, eyes wide and slightly wet.

“Yeah.” 

Catra gives a hesitant smile and a little chuckle. She reaches over and picks back up the guitar. “Wanna see what I’ve learned so far?”

“Yeah!” Adora agrees excitedly, moving back just enough to give her space to play.

Over the next few years Catra continued to play. She picked it up quickly. Adora could find her on nights when she wasn’t in her bunk, out on the roof softly strumming her guitar. Adora was the only one who ever got to look through her notebook at the music she had written herself. The blonde would lay back on the roof and soak up the music and Catra’s soft voice filling the night. They were some of Adora’s favorite memories of summer.


	5. The Plan

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See first Chapter for notes.

Chapter Five- The Plan

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx  
ADORA- WEEK FOUR CONT’D- SUNDAY (THE PLAN)  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Adora barely feels like she fully recovered from drinking the last time, when Glimmer suggest going out again. Avery is napping and they are all lounging around on the couch. The four of them… because apparently that’s a thing now. It’s Sunday afternoon.

“No. Absolutely not.” Is the blonde’s immediate response. 

Bow nods in solidarity, and Catra laughs and gets up.

“Come on! Grumpy Cat didn’t get to do anything last time but work and drag your drunk butt home.”

“Fact!” Catra calls from the kitchen, she returns with two bottles of water. She hands one to Adora as she sits down by her, and lays her head in the blonde girl’s lap.

Adora playfully glares down at her and pokes her in the forehead. “Whose side are you on?”

“My own. Duh.”

“Come on Adora. You don’t even have to drink. Mom already said Avery can stay there again. We won’t even stay out that late. By the way… what do you even do after summer school lets out? Mom is mostly just home preppy for the new school year. She’s totally not working that much.”

“Still a big no. And trust me, Administrative work never sleeps.”

“Glimmer. Some of us just recovered from Friday. Have mercy.” Bow pleaded.

“Well maybe some of us had a better time than others. I just want to go have a nice night out with my perfect new best friend.”

There was a moment of silence and then a chorus of groans. Catra threw her bottlecap at Glimmer’s head. “Just can’t help yourself, can you? How long did that one take you Flicker?”

“I’m so underappreciated with you three, it’s not even funny.” Glimmer huffs.

“Well you’re right about the not funny part.” The brunette snarks with a toothy grin.

Adora pokes Catra in the head again, but she smiles down at her.

“Aw, you guys are so cute.” Bow is doing the eye sparkle thing again. “Look at us, all getting along…if our 17-year-old selves could just see us now… “He pauses to look goofy and happy and then turns to the girl still lounged on the blonde’s lap. “So, what do you think Catra? About going out on Tuesday?”

“I’m down.” She gives a little half shrug.

Adora lets out a groan and shoves at Catra playfully. “Ugh. Traitor!”

Catra smirks and reaches up to pat Adora’s cheek. “Sorry, not sorry Princess.”

Glimmer fist pumps.

xxxxxxxxxxxxx

They show up relatively early again, easily finding a table during the less crowded weekday.

Catra insisted she get the first round, so was the last to show up to the table. She makes sure to grab two extra chairs before sliding into the one next to Adora. Glimmer and Bow reach across to grab their drinks from the tray.

Catra glances at her phone and then stands to slip it into the back pocket of her jeans. “Entrapta and Scorpia say they’re on their way.” 

“Great. Who’s night is it to watch Entrapta?” Bow asked with a grin. He quickly puts his finger to his nose. “Nose goes!”

“Don’t worry. E is in the middle of some project, so they won’t be staying out late or doing anything crazy… well… anything too crazy.” Catra offers.

“So…” Glimmer says slowly, sipping at her drink thoughtfully before continuing. “I know it’s none of my business… but are they like together? Entrapta and Scorpia?”

“Nah, just friends. Scorpia is-“

“Wait. What?” Adora interrupts. “Are Scorpia and Entrapta Queer?”

Everyone at the table is turned to her now. Starring at her in a mix between amusement and horror… including Scorpia and Entrapta who have just materialized near the empty chairs.

“Um…” Scorpia says, drawing the letters out. She sounds confused and is still just blinking at Adora.

Adora feels her face flame. It was Glimmer that brought it up, but now it just sounds like she was the one being nosey. Damn. Why does this always seem to happen to her.

“I am soooo sorry. That is absolutely none of my business! I-“

Catra face palms next to her and starts to chuckle. “Oh god. You are such an idiot.” She nudges the blonde lightly with her shoulder.

Everyone at the table burst into laughter. Adora is still trying to catch up to whatever just happened as the other two women sit down.

Scorpia is grinning over at her. “Lesbian.” She says cheerfully. “Where were you all of high school? I literally thought the whole reason you didn’t like me was because I had that horrible crush on Catra forever.” She reaches over and pulls Catra into a one-armed hug.

Catra is blushing so hard that it can be seen even in the dim lighting. She half-heartedly pats Scorpia’s arm and then slouching down in her seat in embarrassment.

“Really Scorpia? Really?” Catra grumbles, grabbing her beer and taking a long drink from the bottle. She sets it back down afterwards but starts to pick at the label.

“Aw, sorry Wild Cat. Didn’t mean to embarrass you.” Scorpia reaches over a hand and places it on Catra’s arm. The brunette gives Scorpia a half smile in response.

Adora watched everything unfold with a growing sense of unease. She didn’t really have a reason for it logically. So, what if Scorpia had had a thing for Catra back in High school? That was none of her business. She had known that the two girls had been close. She had honestly been jealous…when she wasn’t being furious at the brunette. Her mind flashed back to a torrent of memories, seeing things in a different light now that she knew.

Had they dated?

“Pansexual.” Entrapta bursts out finally, bouncing a little in her chair across from Scorpia. “Me of course, not Catra.” She adds helpfully.

“Oh. Right. Yeah totally me too.” Bow adds. He holds his hand up to Entrapta for a high five. Entrapta just stars at his hand grinning until he starts to lower it.

“Entrapta you’re supposed to-“ Catra starts.

“Oh! Right! Totally missed that social que!” She reaches over and whacks Bows hand. “Ha ha. This is so much fun!”

“S-sorry. I wasn’t trying to be-“

“Aw, it’s fine Adora. We’re all friends here.” Scorpia says, still smiling. She picks up her own beer and takes a drink. “I just figured everyone knew.”

Glimmer snorts, “Yeah…. It just goes to show that you’ve always been a useless lesbian.”

Catra starts to sputter on the beer she was attempting to drink. After she gets herself under control and Scorpia quits pounding on her back, she swivels in her seat to look at Adora wide eyed.

“Bi-sexual” Adora corrects at the same time that Catra asks “What?” in a voice several octaves higher than normal.

Adora looks at her quizzically. “I said bi-sexual.”

Glimmer goes to open her mouth but Adora glares at her warningly.

Adora doesn’t know why Catra looks so shocked. Did she think Adora was exclusively into women? It’s not like it’s that big a deal. She hadn’t dated in years anyway.

“Yay. Also, bi-sexual. So now that all that is out of the way… enough talking. We need more dancing.” Glimmer stands. She looks over to Catra expectantly. 

“What? I was dancing the last time you were here.”

“You were working.” Glimmer says deadpan.

“I was also dancing.”

Glimmer scoffs but smiles, “You may not be bad up in that booth but I’m not sure about those moves I saw. You sure you can dance? Those moves were kinda weak”

“Oh Sparkles, you have no idea what kind of moves I’ve got. You thought I was good on the soccer field, wait until you see me on an actual dance floor.” Catra sasses back.

Oh god… was Glimmer trying to get Catra to dance with her? Que mini panic attack. Adora’s palms were suddenly sweaty. Was Glimmer trying to be her wing-man? Did she want Glimmer to be her wing-man? Was she interested in what a wing-man would mean?

Glimmer smirked, “Guess you’re going to have to put up or shut up Wild Cat.” The pink haired girl held out her hand to the brunette. “Prove it.”

And wait… what? What was happening right now? Was-was Glimmer flirting with Catra… because…it kind of looked like Glimmer was flirting with Catra… 

Adora whipped her head towards Bow. She was sure her face showed her mild panic… but seeing the look on Bow’s face let her know he was just as confused as she was.

Catra let out a happy peal of laughter and took the outstretched hand. She slid out of her chair gracefully and followed behind Glimmer to the dance floor. The shorter girl didn’t let go of her hand.

“Was she just…” Adora started slowly, glancing at Bow. He was still half standing and slowly lowered himself back down.

“What… just happened?” he asked no one in particular. 

“Well it looked like…Glimmer just hit on Catra and asked her to dance!” Entrapta said entirely too cheerfully as she sucked up the rest of her drink. “I am totally getting better at this!” She paused and then very carefully raised her hand up and looked expectantly at Bow.

Bow high fived the purple haired girl. It was somewhat lackluster. 

“Ok, I’m going to dance now! Don’t be too long. Not that it looks like Catra or Glimmer would notice!” Entrapta throws over her shoulder as she makes a bee line for the floor.

Scorpia laughs a little too loudly, obviously uncomfortable. “Um… I’m just gonna… yeah…” She picks up her drink and starts to chug it in earnest.

“Yeah… that was weird.” Bow runs his hand through his hair and then glances around the dance floor. “I mean… I know that they’ve been getting along and everything… but this is kind of unexpected, right?” 

“Well… I mean at least they’re getting along right? Didn’t you guys used to like… hate her or something?” Scorpia says, obviously trying to lighten the mood as she inches away from the table.

“I never hated her… I mean not really… it’s just she got all mad…and then tried to sabotage me…and all my friends and I tried to- you know… it’s complicated…”

Scorpia gave her a soft look, “I meant Bow and Glimmer. Now don’t be too long you two.”

“Oh.” Was all that Adora’s brain could come up with as the other girl walked out to the floor.

“Holy shi-“ Bow trailed off, eyes wide and trained on the dance floor.

The blonde followed Bow’s gaze to where Glimmer and Catra were dancing… very closely… like really really closely…and with each other. Adora blinked dumbfounded…irrationally angry when Catra tipped her head back and laughed at something that Glimmer had said. The brunette may have been shorter than the blonde, but she was a full half a head taller than Glimmer. She had her arms draped across the shorter girl’s shoulders. Glimmer had rested her small hands on Catra’s hips.

A warmth spread like fire through Adora’s chest… and this one, unlike the one that had been happening around Catra recently, was unpleasant. Was it anger? If so, then why? Her friends were getting along. She had Catra back in her life… something that she had never been able to imagine even a year ago… but right now, watching her friends have a good time, she was seething.

Glimmer yelled something near Catra’s ear again. Adora flushed as whatever Glimmer had said caused Catra to swing her gaze towards the table and lock eyes with Adora. The brunette grinned and sent the blonde a wink. It gave her a flashback to Junior Prom, when Catra had sent her a similar look… but with drastically different meaning. The parallel… was honestly jarring.

Adora was on her feet in the next moment, not even sure how she had gotten there. “Come on.” She called over her shoulder as she headed towards were her friends were dancing. She didn’t wait to see if Bow was following.

Catra and Glimmer broke apart when Adora and Bow showed up… well for the most part… there were a few occasions where they seemed to drift back together, but they were thankfully short lived.

Scorpia and Entrapta managed to liven up Adora’s mood at least somewhat, and she spent the rest of the evening laughing and dancing.

Her mood held until she was home, still mostly sober and in her bed. Her phone let out a ping on her nightstand and she reached over tiredly to grab it.

Glimmer <3- Hey, can you give me Catra’s #? I forgot to get it from her before we left.”

Adora tried to tamp down the feeling rising in her chest again. This was a good thing. Her friends were getting along. So why did it make her feel so terrible?


	6. Junior Prom

Chapter Six- Prom

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx  
ADORA- JUNIOR PROM (WE’VE GOT SPIRIT)  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Junior Prom was honestly boring. Adora had decided against going with a date, and was currently hanging out by the snack table.

She wondered ideally if she should have just said yes to one of the boys who had asked her… but she really wasn’t interested and hadn’t wanted to give them the wrong idea.

Mara had helped pick out her white and gold dress, and her flats at least kept her feet comfortable. She was drinking punch out of one of the flimsy paper cups when she noticed a flash of red from the entrance. Most of the students had already arrived, so she turned her head, curious.

She almost crushed the cup in her hands when she noticed Catra. She was surrounded by about 5 other Horde students. Adora recognized Kyle standing next to her. There was a taller girl that she remembered from soccer season.

Glimmer materialized at Adora’s shoulder. “What are they doing here?” She hissed, shoulders tense. “Adora? Earth to Adora?”

“W-what?” Adora tore her eyes away from Catra who was now engaged in a conversation with Angella. It was difficult to focus on Glimmer. Adora’s eyes kept sliding back to her former best friend. She was stunning in a burgundy and black dress. She took off her short leather jacket to reveal a sleeveless design, the front coming up to tie around her neck. It left her shoulder and collarbones on display and accentuated her curves and waist. 

She was still lean, time hadn’t changed much about that, but she had filled out in a way she hadn’t yet last time Adora had seen this much skin. She looked smaller, softer in a dress and sandals… but dangerous in an entirely different way then what Adora was used to. The blonde’s mouth was suddenly very dry. She chugged the rest of her watery punch.

Glimmer eyed her skeptically, “I said, what are they doing here?”

“Dunno. Nothing good I’m sure.”

“Do you think they’re crashing? Bow asked, coming up beside Glimmer. “Angella let them in…”

Adora was still staring in Catra’s direction when the brunette turned, looked her dead in the eyes and winked. The smirk on Catra’s face was feral even from this distance. The gymnasium suddenly felt very warm.

Adora jerked back as Glimmer roughly shook her shoulder.

“Adora! Get it together!”

“S-sorry.”

“I’m going to talk to Mom.” The pink haired girl lets out a huff and stalks towards the edge of the gym.

“Well then…” Bow says finally, the silence stretching for longer than normal. “Hey! Don’t let those guys ruin your night! It’s your first prom. Let’s go dance.” He smiles and holds out his hand invitingly.

Adora looks over to where Catra had been moments ago, but finds the spot empty. “Sure.”

They had just started a slow song when a hand crept up and tapped Bow on the shoulder. He stepped aside to reveal Catra, still with that infuriating smirk on her face. “Mind if I cut in?”

“Um…” Bow looks to Adora in question. Adora gives her head a little nod. “No, I guess not.”

He steps aside and then Catra is there in Adora’s personal space. It crosses Adora’s mind that that didn’t used to exist… personal space between the two of them… but now it seemed like no matter how close they were physically, there was still a chasm between them.

Adora placed her hands on the shorter girl’s shoulders as Catra slid hers onto the blonde’s hips.

“Hey Adora.” Catra’s lip curled up.

It was always shocking to the blonde to have Catra be so hostile towards her… Catra had always been a hurricane, but Adora had always been safe in the eye of the storm… until the adoption…until Adora had started at Bright Moon… until Adora had left and ruined everything.

“What do you want Catra?”

“Nice party.” The brunette says instead of answering. Her voice is husky, drawing out the words and sending a hot flash down Adora’s spine. “Where is the other new best friend? Or do you have a date that I’m interrupting?” Catra makes a show of looking around as they turn across the dance floor. “One of your new admires?”

“Catra. Whatever you’re doing here-“

“Me? Oh, I’m just here to enjoy prom. We came as plus ones actually… my date is around here somewhere…”

“Whatever you’re planning, it’s not going to work.” Adora says, her voice more forceful then she intends, but there is a flicker of challenge in Catra’s eyes as a response.

“Maybe…” The shorter girl leans in, her breath ghosting over Adora’s ear. The blonde is startled as she is pulled flush against Catra’s front. The blonde’s breath is caught it her throat. “Or maybe it already has.” And suddenly the brunette is releasing her, grinning at her in a slightly manic way, as she backs up slowly, giving a casual shrug and a raised eyebrow. She’s headed towards the exit.

Adora looks around frantically for the other Horde students, but can’t find them. “Shit.” She gathers her wits and rushes off the dance floor to find her friends. She almost bowls Bow over in her haste to get to them.

“Wow. What’s up? Did Catra do something to you? Cuz I swear I’ll-“

“No, Bow. Stop. The Horde kids did something… I don’t know what yet but Catra-“

“Someone stole the spirit stick!” Someone yells from off near the doors to the hallway.

“Shit.” Adora grumbles as she pushes her way through the crowd to find two deshelled looking students near the doors. “What happened?”

“We were down in the science lab, the one across from the trophy case. We were… um… we…”

“No one cares what you were doing in the science lab.” Glimmer reassures them, “Just tell us what happened.”

“We heard some people out in the hallway, so we hid until they left… but when we got back out to the hall the trophy case was open and the spirit stick was gone.”

Adora takes off down the hall to the trophy case. The door is still ajar. The blonde growls and slams her palm against the wall. “Damnit Catra.” She takes off at a sprint back through the gym and to the exit that Catra disappeared from.

She’s unsurprised when she sees Catra in her jacket, casually leaning on the side of the building. She’s alone, and pushes off the bricks when she sees the blonde.

“Hey Adora.”

“Will you stop it? What are you doing Catra? You could get in serious trouble for this!”

“Me? I’m not doing anything… I was dancing with you the whole time.” She saunters into Adora’s space, all confidence and swagger. “What’s the matter, loose something?”

“Give it back Catra.” The blonde squares her shoulders, fists clenched at her sides. She stares down the other girl. She has to look down slightly to meet her eyes, but it feels like Catra’s presence looms over her. Catra is all fire and rage, barely contained and Adora knows now what it’s like to be burnt by it.

Catra shrugs, “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“God Catra! Why are you like this? Why can’t you-“

Catra’s face has contorted into a sneer, lip curling over her teeth as she takes a step back. “Me? ME? You left me! You tossed us all away the second you could… like we were nothing! And for what? Your precious new friends that you’ve known for all of five minutes?” She’s panting, hurt radiating from her in almost physical waves.

“Catra it wasn’t like that! Can’t you just be happy for me? Can’t you just be happy that my life got better?!”

Catra flinches and then straightens. Adora watches as she gets herself back under control, “Sure Adora…” Her face is a blank slate now, giving nothing away. “I can be happy for you. I hope it’s worth it.” She adds so quietly that Adora almost doesn’t hear it. The brunette is turning away and Adora has the sinking feeling that if she lets her go, something irreparable will have shattered between them.

“Catra wait!” She reaches out and grabs the brunette’s arm before she can leave. She’s shrugged off roughly.

“Don’t.” Catra won’t look at her. Her voice is soft. Is that resignation? It sounds… like she doesn’t have any fight left in her anymore. “Just… don’t.”

Adora finds the spirit stick on her front porch, but only after they lose the first softball game of the season.

Catra doesn’t show up the next year on the Horde soccer team. Adora asks Force’s new captain what happened to her and is told that Catra has quit.

Adora goes to the orphanage to try to check on her, but is told by the new woman working there that Catra hasn’t lived there since she turned 17 over the summer. The blonde doesn’t know where else to search, so she bides her time and hangs out around their old haunts. It’s frustrating beyond belief when she finally sees Catra, just to have the brunette slip away before she can speak to her.

The blonde eventually goes so far as to try to find her on social media. She had deleted the brunette when they had started their feud, but now it looks like Catra just doesn’t exist anymore. 

Adora finally resigns herself to the fact that Catra is really through with her. It’s time for her to move on too.


	7. The Plan (Part 2)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A forgotten phones and revelations.

Chapter Seven- The Plan (Part 2)

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  
ADORA- WEEK SIX- SUNDAY  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

The doorbell rang the next Sunday morning, and Adora maneuvered around Avery and her Superhero battle in the living room to answer the door.

“Oh! Glimmer! I’m sorry... Are we meeting for breakfast? I haven’t checked the group chat in a while.”

Glimmer smiles and gives her a quick hug. “No, you’re safe this morning. I’m actually here to-“

“I’m coming, I’m coming!” Comes a muffled yell from behind her. Catra hops out of her room trying to pull on her second shoe, keys dangling from her fingers and wallet clenched in her teeth. She’s wearing shorts today with a tank top and high-top converse. She had a red and black checkered flannel tied around her waist. 

“Yeah Yeah, promises promises Fur Ball.”

“Seriously Sparkles?” Catra asked in an exasperated voice, but her cheeks are pink.

Adora stands looking between the two of them, unsure how to take Glimmer’s comment.

Catra stops by Avery to muss up the smaller blonde’s hair.

“Where you going Catra? I come with you?”

“Aw, not this time kiddo. I’m going to go with Glimmer today, but I’ll be back later and we can play before I go to work, ok?”

“No. I want come with you.” Avery whines; lip pouted out.

“Hunny, we aren’t going to go right now, ok? But how about we go to the playground before lunch?” Adora interjected, sensing an impending meltdown.

The smaller blonde huffs but sits back down and starts to grumpily bang her superheroes into each other.

Wow…. Yup… today was going to be fantastic.

“Sorry.” Catra whispers as she skirts her way around Adora. She places her hand on the blonde’s shoulder for a moment as she passes. “You need anything while we’re out?”

“N-no. No. We’re good. Have a nice time?”

“We will.” Glimmer says brightly, giving Adora one more hug before bouncing out of the house towards Catra’s SUV. “How have I never noticed you drive a Subaru?” Glimmer calls back, laughter evident in her voice. “Oh my god you are such a stereotype!”

Adora stands in the doorway longer then is strictly necessary as her friends climb into the car. It’s only when the car door slams that she remembers that she actually needs to stop being a creeper and shut the door.

She checks on google to see what the stereotype is for Subaru’s… and also to reflects on the fact that Glimmer had been to her house…. Not to see her but to come pick up Catra. The uneasy feeling in her stomach was back.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx  
ADORA- WEEK SIX CONT’D- FRIDAY  
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“Do you think something’s going on between Glimmer and Catra?” A frazzled looking Bow asks from Adora’s front stoop. He had sent her a quick text a few minutes prior to make sure Avery was asleep and it was ok to come over. It’s Friday night so Catra is already at work.

“What? No… no way. Right? I mean…that’s just not something- “Adora realizes she’s rambling but doesn’t seem to be able to make it stop. She waves her arms around wildly as Bow comes into the living room. She sighs as she runs out of steam and words. Not that they had been coherent anyway… but Glimmer and Catra? Could that really be something she was going to have to think about? “Right?” She eyes Bow as he sits down heavily on the couch. “Do you…do you really think so?” Adora’s voice is soft. She sits down on the couch too.

Bow shrugs helplessly. Adora notes that his normally perfectly coiffed hair looks deshelled. It seems like he’s runs his hand through it too many times. “I mean…normally I’d say no… but Glimmer keeps ditching me to hang out with Catra now. I mean I asked her to come with me to visit my Dads and she told me she had plans already. Plans, Adora. What does that even mean?” He puts his head into his hands. “I mean I know that we’ll be going back to school soon, and then I’ll have her all to myself again but… I can’t shake this horrible feeling that it’s all about to go wrong. He pauses, head jerking up. “What if… what if they get so close that Catra decides to move to Eternia to be with her? How am I going to…” he trails off with a sniffle.

Adora feels completely useless right now. Emotions are not really her strong suit… this is normally Bow’s thing. On top of that, the blonde also feels a little like she’s being held underwater. Is there any way that this is reality? It gives her flashbacks to when she had been adopted and Catra suddenly seemed to hate her. It had been so surreal. And now Adora has just gotten comfortable with Catra being back in her life. Would she be leaving again so soon? No… this was too much.

“No way Bow. Come on… it’s Glimmer… and Catra! And besides that, Catra just got out of a serious relationship… and… it’s Glimmer! You guys are like,” Again she finds her arms flailing around while she struggles to come up with words. “Like… Bow and Glimmer.” She finishes lamely.

Bow sighs. “I know, but maybe I’ve taken that for granted for too long.”

Adora thinks about how nice it’s been to have Catra here. She thinks about all the times that she’s seen  
Catra with Avery. About how just yesterday morning she had come back from her run to find Avery up and perched on Catra’s bed as a bleary-eyed brunette played ‘Show yourself’ while singing along in a sleep raspy voice. The blonde had stood, sweaty and content in the doorway. When Catra had finally noticed her, she had given a smile, just a tiny curl of her lip, but Adora was almost sure that the brunettes eyes had lingered on her a little longer than necessary. The taller girl had felt suddenly warm, even though moments before she had been chilled for the cooling sweat in the ac. Even just thinking about it now caused a warmth to bloom in her chest.

Then again, just that morning she had gone to knock on Catra’s door to see if she wanted breakfast, and had found Glimmer perched on Catra’s bed while Catra got dressed to leave. That reminder quickly banished the good feeling she had had moments before.

But… Catra would tell her, wouldn’t she? And Glimmer… well she was one of her best friends. There was no way she would do that to her… but what exactly would she even be doing? Adora and Catra weren’t dating… each other or anyone else for that matter… and to the best of anyone’s knowledge… and that included her own, she didn’t have feelings for Catra anymore. Sure… Catra had been her first love, and ok, maybe she hadn’t really had any other since… but that didn’t mean that she had feelings for the brunette now, did it?

Holy shit… she does… Her eyes widen in realization and she groans. She drops her head into her hands. Now what?

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ADORA- WEEK SEVEN TUESDAY  
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Adora doesn’t normally come home during the work day… in fact she never comes home during the work day. She takes her lunch to work and normally works through her break. Today she was pulling up at 939 because she had forgotten her phone.

Catra’s car was in the drive so she made sure to be quiet when she entered the house, just in case the other girl was still sleeping.

She makes her way to the kitchen. Yup. Still sitting by the coffee pot. The blonde rolls her eyes at her own carelessness, and shoves the electronic into her pocket. She turns to head out when she a noise catches her attention. She pauses as she hears a muffled sound coming from Catra’s room.

So…the other girl was awake. The blonde smiles. Maybe she would just say ‘Hey’ before she headed back to work. She had time to sit down for a coffee. It would be nice to be able to chat for a few minutes without having to worry about Avery. She loved that little girl to death, but sometimes it was nice to just have a stolen moment when her life wasn’t revolving around someone else. Maybe she should talk to Angella about watching Avery for a little while over the weekend…

She makes her way over to Catra’s door and listens for a second, debating on if she actually heard something or not. It seemed quiet…

Before she can make up her mind, a low groan sounds from the other side of the door.

Adora’s eyebrows arch, was there something wrong with Catra?

“Fuck.”

Oh! Adora quickly assesses the situation and comes to the very obvious conclusion that Catra is either sick or hurt and needs attention immediately.

“Catra?” Adora calls out as she finds the door unlocked and swings it open. Her voice is concerned as she takes in the room, mildly panicked.

“AHHH! FUCK!”

“Oh my-“

“Adora! What the hell?!”

“I just- I thought you were- “Adora stands there, eyes bugged out of her head.

“ADORA!”

“Y-yeah?” She stutters out; face so hot her ears actually hurt.

“GET OUT!”

Adora starts. “Right-right! Sorry! Oh my god. I’m soooo sorry!” She stutters out as she slams a hand over her eyes and blindly reaches for the door to slam it shut.

“Personal. Space. Adora!” Catra hollers through the door.

Oh god. “I know. I know. I’m sorry!”

Ok… Catra had definitely not been in the kind of distress she had thought… fuck how was she going to face her after this? 

The blonde’s mouth is dry, her heart racing. The image of Catra on the bed etched into the backs of her eyes. Catra had been under the covers, but it wasn’t hard for Adora’s mind to fill in the blanks of what she had been doing… 

Adora could wait for the brunette to get redressed and come out of her room to confront the blonde for barging in…and then standing like a creeper… or she could flee the scene.

She grabs her car keys off the counter and makes her escape.

They both pretend it hadn’t happened by the time Adora had returns home. The blonde tries to ignore her permanently warm ears.

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ADORA- WEEK EIGHT- THURSDAY  
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Adora was distracted. Now that she had been forced to acknowledge her possible feelings, it was all she could think about. Last weeks accidental walk-in on Catra didn’t help either. She caught herself watching the brunette… the glow of her light brown skin, the freckles like tiny constellations across the bridge of her nose. She lost herself occasionally in the deep hazel of her eyes. She constantly caught herself wanting to reach out and run her fingers through her long shiny hair. It would be so easy to just lean over and kiss her. They were so close together so often already that it wouldn’t take much effort at all to lean in and taste those soft lips…

Well… they looked soft anyway. Adora wouldn’t actually know.

The things she found her mind drifting to before sleep were decidedly less PG.

The blonde looks over at Catra. They had the babysitter come by today so that they could go spend some time with Glimmer and Bow at Angella’s. They’re currently in the den watching a movie.

Glimmer is sitting slouched across Catra instead of Bow… the boy is off to the side, glancing at Glimmer out of the corner of his eye every few seconds.

When the first movie ends Bow clears his throat, “Um… Glimmer? Can I talk to you for a minute?”

“Sure,” Glimmer turns towards him but doesn’t make a move to get up.

“Um… yeah… I meant like… not right here?”

“Oh. Sure.” Glimmer bounced up, accidently elbowing Catra who lets out a pained ‘oomph’

Catra waits until they left the room and then throws her head back and laughs. 

Adora glares at her, “What’s so funny?”

“Oh my god. Finally!” Catra extracted herself from her spot on the couch, just to move closer to Adora and flop back down. She leaning into Adora she lets out a satisfied sigh.

Adora is warmed at the contact, “Finally what?”

“She’s been trying to make him jealous for weeks!” Catra kicks her feet up on the couch, looking both very pleased with herself, and very comfortable. “Ugh… so glad that’s over with. No offense, I mean Sparkles is actually pretty ok when you get to know her… but I like sleeping in more than I like plotting.”

“Wait.” Adora shoves Catra off her shoulder. The blonde sits up straighter and turns fully to the brunette who is now laid out on the cushions looking rumpled and grumpy.

And adorable… and kissable… and… wait. Focus.

“Are you saying that all the hanging out, the dancing… all of it…was to make Bow jealous?”

“Um…yeah. Why else would I do any of those things?” Catra looks genuinely confused now.

“I don’t know! We thought maybe…”

Catra sits up, a smile slowly forming on her face. “Oh my god! Did you think we were for real?”

“What? No…” Adora denies quickly, brow furrowed, “pfffft. No way. But why didn’t you guys just tell me?”

“Uh…cuz you are absolutely terrible at keeping secrets. Duh.” Catra says easily with a shrug.

The blonde flounders for a good response because…well... they aren’t exactly wrong… she’s saved from herself by Bow and Glimmer coming back in the room. They are holding hands.

“So... funny story.” Glimmer starts, looking between Catra and Adora, “Bow thought he and I were dating the whole time…since high school.”

Bow looks like he’d rather be hiding behind Glimmer rather than standing next to her…. But he holds his ground even though he’s blushing.

Adora and Catra just blink for several seconds. Catra recovers first, “How the hell did that happen? How did it slip your mind that you were dating already Sparkles? Now we just look like assholes and I hung out with you for nothing. Adora I’m going to kill your friends!”

“Please don’t.” The blonde leans back into Catra, casing the other girl to deflate.

Glimmer lets go of Bows hand to dive for a pillow. She promptly starts to whack Catra over the head with it. “Shut. Up. You. Useless. Lesbian. You. Love. Me.” She punctuates each word with another whap of the cushion.

Catra just laughs and tries to scramble away, making her escape across Adora’s lap. The blonde tries not to blush with a squirming brunette practically in her lap.

“Help! Jesus Adora! What happened to your savior complex! You’re supposed to help me!”

After a moment and a good laugh, everyone settles back down. “But seriously? Catra asks, now using Adora as a backrest as she kicks her feet back onto the couch, “How did you not know you were dating this whole time?”

Glimmer snorts, “Bow and I kissed ONE time back in high school. He just assumed after that that we were dating and I just wasn’t a very romantically physical person…so he never pushed for it again.”

“Oh, this is too good. Useless, the lot of you. Come on Adora.” Catra gets up and pulls the blonde up after her.

“Wait! Where are we going?”

“Away. These two knuckleheads have a lot of time to make up for…and also to get a milkshake from the dinner before we go home…cuz why not?”


	8. Feelings and a Visitor

Chapter Eight- What Are These? Feelings?

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ADORA- WEEK 12  
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Bow and Glimmer went back to school in Eternia. Unfortunately, Adora’s revelation about her feelings? That went exactly nowhere.

Adora was now keenly aware of how easily Catra had slotted into a place in Adora and Avery’s life, that Adora hadn’t even known was empty. It was different then when Hayden had lived with them… or even when Mara still lived there.

Hayden had been respectful, courteous, she had even played with Avery and babysat on occasion, but it hadn’t been a difficult adjustment when she left. She hadn’t spent evenings with the two blondes, curled up in a nest of blankets and pillows on the living room floor watching movies.

And that was the other thing…Adora was now hyperaware of the easy way that Catra body fit into hers. They had always been affectionate as children. The fact that outside of their own closeness, they had had very little physical or emotional affection growing up…well it had always made them a little needy. Ms. Weaver at the orphanage had definitely not appreciated how close they had been, and Adora knew that on more than one occasion Catra had been taken aside because of it. Ms. Weaver had always dotted on Adora, but poor Catra…

The only comparison for the way that Catra and she seemed to gravitate towards each other, was Bow and Glimmer… and well… Bow had thought that they had been dating since Highschool.

It was just a warm feeling when she thought about how easily they were able to orbit each other.

Their routine was easy. Catra still worked afternoons now at the music store in town, and nights on the weekend as a DJ. She had declined a full-time position because she would be starting a teaching assistant position in the Spring for the Highschool. 

Adora would do her workout, get ready for work, take Avery to daycare at 745 and be at work at 8. She would pick Avery up at 4, or if she was working late Catra would swing by and get Avery. Mon-Wed were Catra’s dinner nights, so Adora had time to play with Avery and relax. It was a relief to have someone take some of the load of being a single parent.

She had always had Angella, who had been like a second grandparent to Avery. And true… Adora also had a babysitter, but Catra was someone who slept in the same house and helped out every day. And sure… Catra had other plans sometimes. She did have a life outside of their home… sometimes she had people who booked her for events, a couple weddings, a few private parties or birthdays… but for the most part she was there. On the occasion when she wasn’t going to be coming back to the apartment for the night, she would at least text Adora so she knew to skip her run.

The blonde tried not to think about those nights. Catra was an adult, she could spend the night with whoever she wanted. That thought didn’t stop Adora’s chest from feeling tight as she laid in bed awake on those rare evenings.

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ADORA- WEEK 13  
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“Hey, Catra?” Adora knocks at the opened doorway to the brunette’s room. It’s almost dinner and Catra has taken to just leaving her door open unless she’s doing work or hiding from Avery. Honestly Catra is significantly more involved in their daily lives than she ever thought she’d be. That’s why she almost dreaded broaching the subject she’s come to talk about.

Catra looks up from fiddling with her guitar. “What’s up?”

“So…now that Bow and Glimmer have gone back to school… I just got off the phone with Mara and she wants to come visit.” Adora rushes out the last part and braces for impact.

Catra pauses a slew of emotions flicker across her face so fact that Adora doesn’t have time to decipher them.

“Oh. That’s nice.” Is what the brunette eventually says. She shrugs her shoulders and starts to play her guitar again. “I’ll make myself scarce.”

“No, Catra I’m not asking you to leave. I just wanted to let you know. She usually stays here in Avery’s room and Avery stays with me. I just didn’t want to blindside you with it.”

“No offense Adora,” Catra sets the guitar off to the side and turns fully towards the blonde. “But I’m not sure how fun that would be for anyone. I’m sure Mara hates me.” She waves her hand at Adora when the blonde starts to interrupt. “For good reasons. I get that she’s Avery’s grandmother and stuff, but I just think it would be easier if I went and stayed somewhere else while she was here.”

“You live here Catra. And Mara doesn’t hate you.”

“Really? Well she should. I was horrible to her adopted daughter for pretty much the whole of the time she knew you.”

Adora looks at Catra thoughtfully. Catra always seems so much more in control now. Lighter in a way that she didn’t when she was young… but the guilt seems to be something she has a hard time letting go of.

“That was a long time ago Catra… and besides,” She moves into the room and sits beside the other girl on the bed. She leans over until their shoulders are touching, “That’s not all she’s ever heard about you. She adopted me. She’s heard a hundred good stories about you too… from growing up, even from now. She’ll want to get to know you… but I won’t force it if you really want to leave. I can’t deny her grandbaby time, she’s already been antsy over the summer. It would have just been too much with Bow and Glimmer and you having just moved in… anyways…” She nudges her shoulder one more time and then goes to stand, “I’ll let you get back to what you were doing. Dinner’s going to be ready any minute.”

“When is she coming?”

“In two weeks. I guess she got a good deal on tickets.”

“Ok.” Is all Catra says.

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Mara arrives on a Wednesday evening. Adora drives the hour and a half to the airport. To Adora’s surprise Catra volunteers to watch Avery while she’s gone.

“Where’s my grandbaby?” Is the first thing Mara asks. The smile on her face causing the laugh lines around her eyes to crinkle. Her salt and pepper gray hair is up in its usually braid, and she gives Adora a one-armed hug as she slides into the passenger seat.

“Catra’s watching her. I’m sure she’ll still be awake when we get back. Catra’s go to for dinner is McDonalds and milkshakes.” Adora laughs. “Avery loves it.”

“Oh my, well that’s a big smile.” Mara teases. “So, things are still going well with Catra living there?”

“Great actually.” Adora agrees as she steers them back out onto the road.

“Isn’t it supposed to be me who is surprised by that?”

“Yeah,” Adora sighs, “I mean…it’s been going so well… I guess I’m just worried sometimes that the other shoe might drop. I mean… she’s so much different than she was at the end…it’s just so nice having her back in my life.”

“And what do Bow and Glimmer think?”

Adora chuckles, “They’re friends now. Glimmer and Catra are currently having a meme war on our group chat.”

“Well… I would be lying if I said I was thrilled when you told me about her moving in originally… but from what you’ve told me since… and if Glimmer can make amends with her… then I’m glad you have her back.”

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By the time they get home, it’s already seven thirty. Catra and Avery are on the couch watching Frozen 2… again… They are both changed into pajamas and Avery in sitting next to Catra leaning on her. Adora smiles when she sees Avery has on the Frozen pajamas that the brunette gave her.

“Grandma!” Avery bounces up and jumps from the couch, throwing herself at Mara’s legs.

“Hello Darling! Grandma missed you so much!”

“Catra, this is Mara. Mara, Catra. I don’t think you’ve ever really met before…”

“Not officially, no.” Mara says as she picks Avery up and peppers her face with kisses. Avery shrieks in delight.

“Um… nice to meet you Ma’am…” Catra stands, hands fidgeting with the helm of her shirt.

Mara laughs. “Oh no, please… just Mara.”

“Alright…” the brunette nods, still looking ready to bolt. “I made dinner if you haven’t already eaten… well… I made pizza.” She amends lamely, shrugging her shoulder.

“Thanks!” Adora says cheerfully, “Yeah we didn’t stop, so that’s great. I’ll warm it up while you get settled in Mara.” At Catra’s look of panic, Adora grabs her arm as she goes to pass by, “You want to give me a hand Catra?”

“Y-yeah. Yeah, sure. I can do that.”

Mara just smiles over to Adora, amusement clear on her face. Thankfully, Catra is so preoccupied looking anywhere else, that she doesn’t see it.

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Mara’s visit is pleasant. Catra does not, in fact, go hide somewhere else while she’s there. 

Mara is kind. She doesn’t bring up the past, which Catra is extremely grateful for.

The older woman insists that Adora use the time she’s there to take a break, and shoes the two younger woman out of the house on a Thursday evening.

They decide on going to a Mexican restaurant and after a few drinks Adora has decided that dancing sounds like a fantastic idea. Catra just smiles at her and calls an uber.

They don’t go to Rune, instead going someplace smaller.

They are seated at the bar, Adora drinking a coke and Catra with a bottle of beer. The music is older here, the place less crowded and the dance floor more empty.

“You know…” Catra says slyly. “For someone who wanted to dance, you aren’t doing a lot of it.”

Adora blushes. She hadn’t thought this all the way through when she had suggested it, and now that she’s here she isn’t sure what to do, “I…” she sips at her coke as Catra’s eyes stay focused on her. The blonde blames the alcohol for the warmth spreading in her chest. “I don’t really know how to dance to this.” She admits as she watches the people on the dance floor. Adora can move her hips to the beat of a song, and she’s just fine dancing in a group… but she doesn’t usually dance with a partner… her few disastrous dances aside.

“Alright,” Catra downs the rest of her beer and stands. She holds out her hand to Adora, “Let’s go.”

Adora’s cheeks grow warmer at the thought of having Catra pressed so closely to her… but she accepts the hand and follow the other girl. Catra is already dancing to the music before they are even onto the floor, and she is quick to find an open area for them. The brunette turns, taking a step closer to Adora and grabbing her hands.

“Ok, first let’s get the rhythm down.” She moves one of Adora’s hands to her own hip and grasps the other. Catra’s free hand skims down Adora’s side to rest there, and Adora tries not to shiver at the contact.

The blonde starts to move to the beat, trying to copy the liquid movement of Catra’s body. She knows her movements are jerky, finding it hard to sync her motions with the other girl.

“Alright… hold on.” Catra places Adora’s other hand on her shoulder and moves both of her hands down to guide Adora’s hips, “there you go, you just have to loosen up.” Catra smiles up at her through her lashes and Adora forgets to breath “Ok, now just let me lead. I’ll push like this to move forward… and now if I do this you move back. See, you’ve got this!” The brunette moves them around in their little corner of the floor. “Ok, last thing.” She grabs one of Adora’s hands again and gives a gentle pressure. “Now, when I do this, I want you to raise your arm and then you’re going to twirl.”

Adora does as instructed, but ends up turning the wrong way. They both burst into giggles.

“Whoops.”

“It’s ok. Let’s try again.” 

This time Adora makes it under.

“Ok, now I’m going to twirl.” Adora tries to get her arm into the right position, and manages to execute Catra’s twirl without any mishaps.

Catra smiles in delight.

They dance until they are both sweaty and hot before they go back to the bar.

“See, that wasn’t so hard.”

“Guess I had a good teacher.” Adora says with a smile, looking at Catra out of the corner of her eye.

Catra gives a smirk. “You know it.”

They head home shortly after. 

Both of them go to bed smiling.


	9. Holidays

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A quick look at some Holidays as time passes.

Chapter Nine- Holidays

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CATRA- HALLOWEEN  
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It was finally Halloween. Avery had begged Catra to come with them for trick or treating. Catra, being the big sucker for pouty blonde’s, caved easily.

Adora had worked on Avery’s magician costume for weeks.

Catra had blushed when, a week before Halloween, she had presented them with a miniature staff. She had modeled it off an old Cartoon that she and Adora had watched as children. It had taken her two trips to the hardware store, three to the craft shop, and the purchase of several hand held power tools… but that wasn’t anything either of the blondes needed to know.

She was actually pretty proud of herself at the look of pure delight on the tiny recipient’s face… less so when she immediately started trying to whack everyone and expected them to stop moving when she screamed ‘Frozen!”.

Adora just gave her that soft smile. She had been giving it to Catra a lot lately… the brunette wasn’t exactly sure what it meant… but she knew that it made her chest ache with a painful emotion that she wasn’t keen to think too much about.

This was a terrible, horrible idea. She really should never have suggested that they live together. She had honestly not thought that it would be this easy… this intimate… to be around Adora again. It dredged up emotions that she thought she had long ago gotten rid of… or at least buried deep enough that they never saw the light of day ever again.

And Adora didn’t make it easy. 

1\. Catra now knew that Adora wasn’t averse to female partners 

2\. Adora was objectively gorgeous. Well... Catra thought so at least. She wasn’t really sure if Adora was just her type or if her type had always been based off Adora… but either way… The blonde hair and blue green eyes… the long legs and muscles... And maybe Adora wasn’t fit like she had been back in high school, she didn’t have the same kind of lifestyle anymore and had also had a child, but she was still in fantastic shape.

3\. Adora even made that stupid hair puff look good. Seriously, how can anyone do that? Thankfully she had also upgraded to a braid that wove over the front of her hair and worked itself into her updo… it was nice…and less doofy.

4\. Catra was very very gay, and if she hadn’t been, having Adora come in from a run all hot and sweaty wearing short running shorts and a cut off top that barely covered her sports bra… would have made her that way. The first time she had seen it she had about swallowed her own tongue…a tongue that she was suddenly aware wanted to be… well…not doing anything appropriate.

Now Catra was dressed up as Cat-woman about to go trick or treating with a tiny magician and She-ra from the old tv show. Catra’s costume was really very little effort on her part…her ripped up black pants and a tight black spandex shirt. She had ordered the mask and tail, but other then that… 

Damn Adora and those legs. She was making that ridiculous outfit look amazing.

Catra took great pleasure in snapping a photo of herself before she left her room, and sent it to the group chat. The response was almost immediate. 

Arrow Boy- “You look purrrrr-fect.”

Sparkles- “You seriously can’t get mad over Cat jokes and then DRESS UP LIKE ONE!!”

Sparkles-“ It’s a good look though.”

She received a picture of Bow and Glimmer dressed in early 50s outfits. Glimmer had on a flapper dress with her hair up in a styled bob, the perfect match to Bow’s mobster looking suite.

Furr Ball- “Meh. I guess you can go out in public. Try not to scare all the kids with that mask Sparkles.”

Sparkles- “I hate you.”

Sparkles- :P

Adora-ble- “Catra. Stop taking selfies and get out here or I’m sending Avery after you.”

Adora-ble- “You guys look great! Have fun!”

Sparkles- “I want a picture of Avery!”

Furr Ball- “On it.”

Catra headed to the living room where a 3 year old was bouncing around on the couch. “Catra! You ready?! We. Are. Going. Trick. Or. TREATING!”

Catra grinned, going up and scooping up the little girl. “Whoo hoo! Treat or treating? This is going to be sooooo much fun.” She said bouncing around.

“YAY TRICK OR TREATING!”

“Ok you two, calm down until we get outside.”

“Hold up, the dynamic duo needs a picture of Avery.” Catra moves over to Adora and snaps a photo of the three of them. After she sends the first one, she sits Avery down and snaps a few photos of her posing with her staff and pink pumpkin bucket. She sends off the best ones.

“Hold on, I’m going to send those to Angela and Mara.”

Catra leaned against the doorframe, smiling down at the phone still in her hand. After a moment of debate, she set the photo of the three of them as her lock screen.

\-----------

The whole experience seemed so…domestic. The people who opened their doors always smiled at them, and Catra wondered how many of them assumed that they were a family. Adora walked close enough that their hands brushed occasionally, and Catra fought to resist the urge to twine their fingers together.

Adora kept sending her that soft smile. It made butterflies erupt in Catra’s stomach. The brunette scolded herself. She wasn’t 17 anymore, she wasn’t supposed to get butterflies. She was too old for this kind of crap.

She huffed out in annoyance.

“Something wrong?” 

“What?” Catra realized that she had been scowling down at the pavement. She made an effort to smooth back out her face. “Nah, just thinking.”

“Wanna share?” The blonde bumped her shoulder playfully as they waited for Avery to file up to the door behind the other kids, and retrieve her prize.

“It’s nothing. Seriously.” She added at the unimpressed look and scrunched blonde eyebrows.

“Ooookay.” Adora said skeptically, but brightened when Avery got back from the line of kids.

“Mama I got Loooots of candy.”

“Oh yeah? A lot?”

The little girl just giggled as Adora reached down and tickled under her arms. She grabbed the smaller hand and they headed off to the next house. 

Catra trailed behind until a little face peered at her questioningly. “Come on Catra!” 

Catra took the offered hand, and then three of them continued trick or treating until the little girl was falling asleep. Catra picked her up and carried her home.

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THANKSGIVING  
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Adora got Catra to invite Scorpia and Entrapta for Thanksgiving. Bow and Glimmer were still in school, but Angella would be joining them as she did every year.

Catra purchased a card table and some folding chairs to accommodate the extra bodies, and they shoved the two tables together in the kitchen. It was a tight fit for everyone, but they all squeezed themselves in for a night of food and laughter.

Catra was busy shoving as much food as possible into her face. Avery kept the conversation going, always ready with a question or fact for someone.

They exchange embarrassing stories of youth, about themselves and each other.

“-and then someone dumped the cooler of water over Adora’s head… and that’s when everyone realized that she hadn’t been wearing a bra.” Catra is laughing so hard she has tears rolling down her cheeks.

“Catra! To my defense, at that point I didn’t really need a bra. And coach was so pissed. I can’t believe you would bring that up! You guys want to hear something funny… let me tell you about the time Catra decided she could keep a cat hidden at the orphanage. She named it Melog and kept it in the closet.”

“Aw. Poor kitty.” Scorpia coos.

“Hey! I did a pretty good job of keeping it hidden!”

“Yeah, minus the fact that it had fleas and they ended up everywhere! They actually had to bug bomb the whole orphanage and we had to set up cots at the school for two days in the gym.”

Catra groans as everyone laughs. 

“Oh yeah… well what about the time I got detention because SOMEONE thought it would be funny to put a rubber mouse in my gym locker…”

“I don’t get it… why would a rubber mouse get you detention.” Entrapta asks in confusion. She looks around the table to see if she’s missed something.

Adora cackles.

Catra mock glares at her, but she’s smiling. She shoves the blonde in the shoulder and sticks her tongue out at her. “I may have gotten startled and then retaliated.”

“More like… she screamed like a little girl and flung herself into my arms half naked… then chased me out of the locker room… in just out bra and shorts… and tackled me in the hallway.”

Catra scoffs. “deserved it.”


	10. THE Visitor

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well this is it! For everyone who got this far, thanks!

Chapter Ten- Visitor

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx  
December 10th  
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It was two weeks before Christmas and the start of Bow and Glimmer’s Christmas break. Adora was looking forward to seeing them in person. There were things that she wanted to discuss that she was too paranoid about to send over text or phone. Mainly… her feelings for the Catra.

It was driving her crazy… the constant wondering… she was about 80 percent sure at this point that Catra had feelings for her too… but she was too afraid of being wrong and ruining everything. Things were just so good. Catra would be starting her new job at the school after winter break… which meant that they could even carpool if they wanted to… 

She digressed… the point was… she needed help. She had been looking for clues on her own, but she could admit to herself that she was not the queen of observations. She also wasn’t subtle… so trying to weasel it out of Catra was out of the question. 

She needed reinforcements.

It was Saturday morning and Catra had yet to make an appearance. Adora was waiting impatiently for her friends to arrive. She was curled on the couch with Avery, both still in pajamas, watching morning cartoons when the doorbell finally rang. 

“Best Friend Squad Assemble!” She cried happily as she flung the door open… and came face to face with a woman she had never seen before.

Not Glimmer. Her brain supplied helpfully.

The person on the stoop was probably a model… and if she wasn’t, she could definitely start a career as one. She was blonde and a little shorter than Adora. She wore a green peacoat, blue jeans, and warm looking boots. She also looked a little bit startled…which…given Adora’s outburst…was totally fair.

“Oh my gosh. I’m so sorry! I thought you were someone else!” Adora rushed out in embarrassment.

“So I gathered. It’s a little early in our relationship to be best friends.” The other blonde said with a little laugh. She had a slight English accent, and when she smiled a dimple appeared on one cheek.

Even her laugh was pretty. 

The woman on the stoop eyed her for a moment, and Adora remembered that she was still in her Christmas pajamas. 

Adora had never in her life had problems speaking to a pretty girl… with the exception of Catra…who really, was the exception for everything… but she was having a surprisingly hard time forming a coherent thought around this woman.

“Um…”

“Sorry to be a bother, but I’m looking for Catra Martinez?”

“Oh… um… wait just a moment.”

The other blonde slouched in relief, “Oh good. I wasn’t sure if I’d been sent on a wild goose chase.”

She has pretty green eyes. Shit. Focus.

“Do you want to come in? I’ll go get her.”

“Thank you, that would be great.”

Adora let her guest in and went to knock on Catra’s door. The other woman greeted Avery, which sent the little girl scrambling to hide behind her mother’s legs.

“No! Sleeping!” came the grumpy response.

“Catra, there’s someone here to see you!”

“Give them one of my cards and tell them to call for an appointment!”

“Catra!”

“Adora!”

“Do I need to come in there?”

The door opened and a sleep ruffled Catra stretched. “I seem to remember you doing that once before.” She said with a laugh.

Adora’s face flamed. “Catra! You know we don’t talk about that thing that definitely never happened!”

Catra laughed. “I gave you months to get over it, now it’s fair game princess.”

“Just get out here.”

“Fine, fine. Has anyone ever told you that you’re bossy?” Catra stepped up into the kitchen in her sweatpants and tank top. She froze the second she saw who was in the living room.

“Hello Cat.” 

Cat? So, this was obviously someone close to Catra… now who… oh no…

“Ashley?”

Adora’s hand froze where it had been running through Avery’s hair.

Well shit…

Ashley’s smile was a little bashful as she gave Catra a little wave. “Would it be aright if we talked?”

“Um… yeah. Sure. Just let me get dressed real quick and we can go for a walk or something?”

“Sure.”

Adora realized that she was still standing there, eavesdropping on their conversation, and cleared her throat awkwardly. “Avery and I will just…”

“It’s fine Adora, we’ll be out of here in just a sec.”

Catra went back in her room and shut the door. There was a long moment where the two blondes just looked at each other.

“Adora?” Ashley finally asked.

“Yes.”

Ashley smiled, “Interesting.”

Adora didn’t have time to question Ashley because at that moment Catra came back out. Adora noticed she was wearing the yellow beanie she had bought her when it started to get cold.  
What? Catra had sensitive ears.

“Ready.” Catra stopped to ruffle Avery’s hair, “See you in a little bit kiddo.”

“Ok Catra.” Avery let go of her mother to wrap herself around Catra’s legs for a moment.

Catra moved passed Ashley and opened the door for her. “See you later.” She called over her shoulder to Adora, and then they were gone.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

It had been over an hour since Ashley and Catra had gone for their walk… and Adora was freaking out. Had she royally screwed up? She had been so concerned about ruining her friendship with Catra that she had waited to reveal her feelings… but what happened now if it was too late?

Sighing she picked up her phone. Glimmer picked up on the second ring.

“Hey. What’s up?”

“Are you guys here yet?”

“Not yet, we’re still a little over two hours out. We got started late and then we stopped for breakfast. Why? What’s up?”

“Ugh, everything’s a mess.”

“Did something happen?”

“Yes… no… I don’t know…”

“Hold on, I’m putting you on speaker phone so Bow can hear.”

“Hey Adora! You ok? What’s going on?” Came Bow’s concerned voice.

“Ugh! Catra’s perfect super model ex-girlfriend showed up this morning and I’m kind of freaking out…”

There is silence for a second and then Bow and Glimmer are talking over each other.

“Oh my gosh! What did she want?”- “Is she trying to get back together?”

Adora paces back and forth in the kitchen,” I don’t know… I mean… why else would she be here?”

“Um…” Bow pauses and Adora can imagine him shrugging in his seat, “I actually have nothing.”

“Ok. Ok. Let’s not panic… Where do you and Catra stand right now?”

“What do you mean?”

“Adora…” Glimmer starts hesitantly, “Is this a ‘I still haven’t told Catra how I feel’ problem, or a ‘we’re together and I don’t want to lose her’ problem?”

Adora gasps and stops pacing. “W-what?”

“That’s definitely a ‘no’ to the has she told her question.” Bow says helpfully.

Adora face palms. “No…I haven’t… but how did you know?

“Oh Hunny…” Bow starts gently. “You aren’t exactly the most subtle…”

Glimmer lets out a bark of laughter. “Yeah… that. It was obvious even the last time we were there. Look… We’ll be there soon and then we can figure out a plan.”

Adora perked up. Plans… she could do plans. Plans were something she was actually good at… sort of.

“But I think right now you should give Mom a call and see if she’ll watch Avery this afternoon. It’ll be less stress for you and then we can focus on your love life.”

“Glimmer…be nice.”

“I AM being nice!”

“Ok. Ok. I’ll call her.”

“Good. We’ll see you soon! Try not to stress, the best friend squad is going to figure something out.”

“Thanks Bow. Bye guys!”

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

An hour later Adora is getting back from dropping off Avery. Catra’s car is still in the drive… but she hadn’t taken it earlier, so that didn’t mean she was home… or that if she was home, she wouldn’t have company.

The blonde sat her keys down on the counter and noticed Catra’s door was open.

Ok, so she was back home then.

The blonde got to the doorway. Catra was alone and on her bed reading a book. She knocked softly on the doorframe.

“Hey Adora.”

“Hey.” She stood there fidgeting, unsure what to say next.

Catra smiled and tossed her book to the side. She sat up and leaned against the wall. “Have you come to be nosey, princess?”

Adora sputtered, cheeks warming, “What? No! I was… um…”

“I’m just teasing you, calm down. You can come in if you want.” Catra patted the spot on the bed next to her.

“Oh…ok.” Adora made her way over and sat down. “So… um… how are you doing? Do you want to…I don’t know….you know….talk about it?” The blonde finishes meekly.

Yup, still totally winning at these emotions and talking thing… not.

Catra gave her one shoulder shrug, “What am I supposed to talk about?”

“Are you leaving?” the blonde blurts out, her voice cracks halfway through and she knows she’s close to tears already because she doesn’t’ want to lose Catra again…

“Leaving? Why would I be leaving?” Catra’s nose is adorably scrunched and her brows are drawn down in confusion.

“I don’t know,” Adora starts to fidget with the cuffs of her sleeves, “I thought that maybe Ashley…” She trails off and focuses on the book that Catra was reading earlier.

There’s a soft chuckle and then her hand is grabbed gently in Catra’s smaller one. “You’re so dumb… did you think Ashley came to confess her undying love or something?” When Adora doesn’t immediately respond or look back at her Catra uses the hand not holding Adora’s to gently cup her cheek and turn it back towards her. She ducks down and catches Adora’s downcast eyes. “Adora… Ashley is on her way to visit her sister. She made a detour here to bring me some things that I left behind that she wanted me to have.” Catra looks over to the other side of the room and Adora follows her gaze. There is a keyboard and another guitar case by her desk. “She bought them, so I left them. She brought them back. That’s all. Maybe one day she and I can be friends… but that’s all we’ll ever be.”

“Oh.”

“Adora…”

“Yeah.” Her voice sounds watery and there are tears running down her cheeks for some reason.

“Even if Ashley had wanted to get back together…I’m not in love with her anymore…”

“You’re not?”

“You’re such an idiot.” Catra rolls her eyes and leans towards her. 

The blonde’s heart is pounding a mile a minute, because this… this right here is 100 percent proof that Catra has feelings for her too… and she’ll be damned if she lets this slip away. She surges forward and presses her lips to Catra’s… and yeah… they are absolutely as soft as she always thought they’d be.

When she finally has to come up for air, she realizes that their positions have changed. She’s somehow ended up laying on top of Catra on the bed, their legs tangled together. One of Catra’s hands is fisted in the shirt at her back and the other is wrapped around her neck trying to pull her back in.

Catra’s eyes are shining, tears pooled at the corners but her smile is beautiful. 

“I love you.” Adora says breathlessly as she swoops down to pepper kisses across the brunette’s face. “I love you. I love you. I love you.”

“I love you too. I always have.” Catra pulls the blonde back down into a deep kiss.

Something warm and comforting slots into place in Adora’s chest. Home.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

There is no answer when Bow and Glimmer ring the doorbell. They wait for a minutes before Glimmer grabs her phone and checks her messages. “Nothing.” She says sighing.

“Maybe she went for a walk to clear her head?” Bow suggests.

“Yeah… maybe…” Glimmer says, rummaging around in her purse. She pulls out a keyring triumphantly. “Let’s wait inside.”

“Do you think we should wait?”

“She gave us the key for a reason Bow. It’s fine.”

“Alright…” he looks skeptical, but follows Glimmer inside.

“Adora?!” Glimmer yells, looking around. There doesn’t appear to be anyone inside, but that doesn’t mean Adora isn’t napping.

“Um…Hey guys!”

Glimmer wheels around from the bedroom she was headed towards and notices that Catra’s door isn’t closed. She can’t really see in from where she is… but Adora’s voice was definitely coming from in there.

“Go away!”

And that… that was definitely Catra…

Glimmer glances at Bow. They are both smiling.

“Adora? What are you doing in Catra’s room?”

Adora’s head pops out of the doorframe. Glimmer can see her shoulders and she’s definitely only wearing a bra.

“So… haha… such a funny story… you know that thing that you guys were coming over to help with? Well…it’s not a thing anymore so…”

“So, for the love of God, please leave!” Catra hollers from somewhere still inside the room.

Adora’s face is red and her hair is deshelled. She looks pleadingly at Glimmer who is doubled over with laughter.

“Fine. Fine. But only because you said please. Have fun! I’ll bring Avery back after dinner!”

The blonde grins at her and gives her a thumbs up before ducking her head back in the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I hope everyone enjoyed this!  
> If you made it all the way to the end, you're awesome. ;)  
> Also... just to clear some things up... Catra was at Scorpia's and Entrapta's when she wasn't coming home. If she drinks too much at work she doesn't like to go back to Adora's. Catra doesn't bother to tell Adora that because it's really none of her business at the time. She stops drinking as much so she can go home at night. She'll let Adora in on that secret one of these days.  
> Also, there is a new person at the orphanage because Weaver finally gets reported for being a p.o.s.  
> Catra moved out and in with Scorpia when she was 17 and could legally get away.  
> For anyone who is curious, Scorpia owns a gym in town, and Entrapta owns some patents on things she has invented. She is currently self employed.  
> Yes, Ashley looks a lot like Adora...  
> Ok, I think that's it...

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Comments and constructive criticism welcome and appreciated.


End file.
